DO SOMETHING!!

[Canibul]

I look for motive, not only in people's actions when I meet them, but in what they do on the internet. I have to ask myself, what's in this for them? Are all these ad blockers really putting all this effort and time into building and maintaining these high end sites just out of the goodness of their hearts? Donating their time and resources daily, just because it makes them feel good at the end of the day? As a service to their fellow man?


Yeah, right.


I remember a quote I read somewhere a few months back that rung true with me. To paraphrase what I remember of it would be something like:
On the internet, if you're not paying for the product, you ARE the product.

[Canibul]

just did a search on that line, and found beaucoup references Like this one
https://sharemarketing.wordpress.com...e-the-product/

[Mike OReilly]

Agreed Canibul. And lest anyone miss the obvious point: CF operates on exactly the same model as Facebook etc. WE are the product here on CF.

There actually was a time when the Internet operated without commercial interests. We had these same kinds of discussions on BBSs and then Usenet. Not as flashy or engaging as forums like CF (running vBulletin), but just as functional.

But as is typical with the "free" market, it continually invades and subsumes public space, converting what was once a communal resource into a private good. It then turns around and charges for the use of what was once free.

Ain't nothing free about the "free" market.

But to get this rant back on track, CF is a private, for-profit enterprise that delivers real value to its users, and its owners. It has real costs, and as a for-profit, must make real profits. I have no problem with that. What I do object to is all the secret data collection that goes on without most people's knowledge (I can't even find reference to CF doing this in their Terms of Service Agreement which we've all read and agree to ). For example, there are five trackers running in the background on this page. The average user would never know.

Forcing me to view ads is simple an invitation for me to find ways to avoid them, but secretly scooping my data without me knowing it's even happening is wrong in my books.

[bmartin]

This has been THE MOST DIFFICULT web service ever to access. It is absolutely more difficult than sailing my 1979 Cal 2-27 Sailboat. I have been trying to log in for a couple of years. It is in everyone’s interest to make it easier for newbies. Paah Dump bump!!!!?