Linus called adblock users scummy

[Puppet]

Word of mouth, the only advertising that actually works in my opinion.

 

I can't honestly think of a time that advertising has worked on me. Other than video games which yes is hypocritical, but only for games that I like, the ones I don't like (like kingdom hearts and FF[insert random nonsensical number]) annoy me as well.

 

I guess that's my issue, stop showing me ads for shit I dont give a damn about. Like insurance commercials, I'm 25 and live with my parents, I DONT SHOP FOR INSURANCE lol.

 

For instance, If I see one more "summer you, rest of the year you" Malibu rum ad, I may actually punch my screen. I hate rum, and I especially hate the flavor of coconut, so why am I being forced to watch this ad?

 

Word of mouth wouldn't be good enough.

 

Advertising is changing because of the internet. Linus Tech Tips YouTube Channel is basically there to advertise products and I think companies realize that viral adverts or online content is great for sales because they get feedback from the producer and also the viewer. Negative feedback is also a great thing, it's better to find out that your product was unsuccessful sooner rather than later.

 

I think advertising is evolving and you will see a lot less pop ups and forced videos in the future because they don't provide that all important feedback, so don't sweat it.

 

There will always be a need to produce text, images and video content though for advertising purposes whether it's the manufacturer themselves (on their own website etc) or a third party. If we had to rely on word of mouth we might as well go back to the bartering system.

 

I love good advertising, so does everyone that is here (they just don't realize it). There's a lot of crap, but it's changing for the better.  

[eldergeek]

Linus, your problem is your audience. You need to appeal to a more pewdiepie-type audience who will defend you to the death and will sell their house to support you.

But seriously, if the content creator is monetizing their content, the procedure of watching an ad should be honored, it's the policy on YouTube after all. Outside of any Google services? Who cares? If it's not on a website's T&C, it's fair game. I.e, on here, I don't HAVE to donate to Linus, whereas on YouTube, I kinda do in a sense. And I'm okay with that because I'm abiding by the rules and I'm supporting content creators.

It shouldn't be a matter of "ads are annoying" it should be a matter of following the rules because they're there for a reason.

Personally, I don't monetise my own content on YouTube however as I understand that people don't like it however and this is a good workaround, to have income that's not reliant on YouTube whether it's kickstarter or patreon or even just a PayPal donation.

 

Hey. I'd happily buy a product or two for him to get a kickback, but it's pretty god damned evident by now that he doesn't give a shit about anyone outside the continental USA.

[Misanthrope]

I took a look at Destructoid and I didn't really see any abnormally high amount of ads on their site.

The content was horrible but I wouldn't really blame that on the ads.

It seems to be ok at times, it might have changed a bit since I am no longer a regular there AND they went for a subscription model (A particularly stupid one: pay us, become a HUGE member and you get exclusive early access to certain news articles....in a news blog) but sometimes, like when there's a new very popular game coming out, they will literally cover the entire site wall to wall with obnoxious, moving adds. Think IGN or Gamespot when they're on full blast campaign for Battlefield or something like that.

[Seraphim401]

I recently discovered a beta feature in Adblock 2.7.7  to exclude specific  youtube channels.

As of now I'm allowing ads on all my favorite youtube channels.

It only seems fair to compensate youtubers who create original content.

[Echodamus]

I am just going to throw in my two cents here even though it will most likely be an unpopular opinion. I use adblack almost everywhere (more on that later) because there are way too many ads thrown in my face to do one simple thing, like go to one web page or watch one video. Hell, just to watch one video on YouTube there is a minimum of three ads that I must see, sometimes more, plus built in ads that people take from sponsors. Right now adblock is blocking 17 ads on Facebook (and with the way they sell our data its not like they need that ad money anyways), etc. Now for some YouTubers I will watch the adverts on their channel, if they produce high quality content. Linus and Logans channels and their respective websites are good examples of pages where disable adblock because they are a multi-person business. People like Markiplier and Toby make a lot of money, produce very "quick and dirty" content, and have very little overhead, so I use adblock because it isn't worth my time to watch an advert for them. Reddit is another site that I disable adblock on because they are often in the red and donate to charity, and their ads don't have audio and don't take up time. But if you think I am a scumbag (or whatever word is "proper") either way, then I might as well run it on your channel do. This scumbag will still promote your content and buy your merch because I genuinely like what you do, but no more ad revenue from me. 

[TheSLSAMG]

I see this thread is still going. Read the first few pages.

 

The word scummy was ill-chosen.

 

But the simple fact ramains that if everyone blocked the ads in my content Linus Tech Tips wouldn't exist. Period.

 

Those suggesting that I complain to Google... Do you think I can just call up Eric Schmidt and let him know I don't like the way they implement ads on YouTube? I laughed out loud.

 

YouTube isn't perfect but it's my best shot at running a viable business here so I can pay my employees and feed my family, so that's what I use. Those of you who opt to consume the content without supporting it, fine you're not "scummy". Come up with your own word for it

I like you Linus, I think you, the part of the community that arent a bunch of #PCMasterRace swaggers, the forums and the content are great.

 

This being said, I need to address something. Eric Schmidt is not the only person who works at Google and can hear/address issues about Google services, such as YouTube. (This may or may not be something that went over my head.) They have a customer support line, and one of the things you can do is tell them your issues, just dial 5 for Customer Service and it may just reach a higher up if there were enough people to create an uprising (here is a flaw). 1 (650) 253-0000

 

Everyone has an opinion. Some would say that you handled the situation badly, like TotalBiscuit to a lower extent. I would say that the word choice was bad, but that the ad content delivery system is flawed at best. I use AdBlock --  I will be perfectly honest about this. But I have sites whitelisted, like the LTT forums and YouTube, because I care that you can pay Luke, Brandon, Edzel, Taran, Nick and anyone else while being able to support your family. But the ad delivery system is still flawed. People will choose to do what they do, and sadly we can't change that with any capacity of words. All you will end up doing by using words like scummy to describe people whom are probably big fans of you otherwise is only going to hurt you. I just want what is best for you, which is why I will continue to keep you whitelisted, but I still think YouTube needs a bit of work.

[Echodamus]

If Linus even cares about the community at all. He will read my post and respond to it. I got to the crux of the issue, the issue that most were talking about.

 

Linus has accused the community of what he is doing now.

 

We are not obligated to watch his advertising. It is his fault he decided to set his company up on a foundation that can fail as quickly and with as much uncertainty as the wind.

 

I have unsubscribed, unliked, and unfollowed.

 

He has a flawed ideology, and I don't intend on supporting it any longer until I see what he has to say.

Its funny, you act like you are the pinnacle of the community. But for real, he does not use adblock in any way. And while we are not obligate to watch his advertising, he is producing (expensive) content for us, and he deserves a kickback for that. As far as you leaving, his 900K+ fans will still be here supporting him, you won't be missed. 

[Greggers]

I use adblock on my PC but I do all of my media streaming via chromecast. I don't care if I see a 30 second ad before the video, I just like to be in control as to how much of it I'm seeing and where I'm seeing it. Even if there was an option to block ads on chromecast I wouldn't bother. I fully support your right to monetize but if the solution you use isn't working, maybe you should look at the solution and not the consumers. Most of us would be happy to watch a tiny ad (as we do with your sponsors), it's just having it EVERYWHERE and running the risk of malware being injected into the code make it stupid to not run adblock, at least on the sites you don't visit often and trust. Even then, that makes it unfair to the people you don't trust, where's their revenue? Finally, I mentioned malware, it has happened before with big news websites having malware in their ads for months without realizing, do you have full control over your ads? No. I'd be more than happy to see a non ad... ad on your site like a section on each page dedicated to square space or one of your other sponsors but then I can trust that you have control of the code.

 

You know that a big chunk of your uses hate Facebook, yet you have a plugin on the forums that makes it so Facebook can track everything we do just by including some crummy like button. So my only option is to either run adblock or email every website I use and ask them to remove 3rd party tracking. If creators took more responsibility down the delivery line I'd accept ads on my PC also but as it stands, I don't.

[Dragonbrad5]

I dont know why this is such a big deal, people slam him on his own youtube channel and say very negative things. Why would he not be allowed to show his opinion on his own page/forum? I use adblock for my sons tv because there arent any ads that pertain to him. Ads are how linus gets paid. Nowadays ads are the way a lot of game makers get paid (android and ios). I keep rambling on but, he has the right to say what he wants on his shows/pages. 

[LDX]

Well I must confess that I used some chrome extension to improve my youtube (youtubestudio i think?)

and it remove ads among its features, but about a year ago or more, I heard Linus saying that blocker's dont help them and that LTT wouldnt exist

and I thought: okay it makes sense..! is the lesser thing that i can do cause i cant afford to buy an LTT tshirt now, so the next update reminder i got from that extension I decided just to turn it off

yeah youtube ads are annoying, but it pay the bills for many of the youtubers we admire, and u need to accept that youtube ads are nothing compared

to TV ads, twitch is actually worse than youtube... and nobody complains... at least google shows you relevant ads to ur age, location, and preferences.... and u can even wait 3 seconds to dismmiss them..

that's the less intrusive advertising that I can imagine...

[Razzaa]

I dont know why this is such a big deal, people slam him on his own youtube channel and say very negative things. Why would he not be allowed to show his opinion on his own page/forum? I use adblock for my sons tv because there arent any ads that pertain to him. Ads are how linus gets paid. Nowadays ads are the way a lot of game makers get paid (android and ios). I keep rambling on but, he has the right to say what he wants on his shows/pages.

Of course he has the right to say what he wants. Not very smart business to insult your followers though but meh im sure he regrets making the comment.

[Charlievb]

I would say people with adblock have no gratitude towards the creator. Do mind i use adblock aswell but with whitelist.

On som sites they don't get what to much ads mean.

Anyhow all my YT vids i watch on the road and thus have ads which I don't mind. Frankly whoever gets insulted by being called scummy is sad.

Creator has his rights to say w/e in his vids.

If you don't like it just unsub, period.

[Guest]

I would say people with adblock have no gratitude towards the creator. Do mind i use adblock aswell but with whitelist.

On som sites they don't get what to much ads mean.

Anyhow all my YT vids i watch on the road and thus have ads which I don't mind. Frankly whoever gets insulted by being called scummy is sad.

Creator has his rights to say w/e in his vids.

If you don't like it just unsub, period.

- Not really, it is still an insult

- Yeah, but insutling your fanbase, adblock or not, is not a wise move, at all

- Nope, I still like the content, byebye

 

 

I am not insulted however, he can call me scummy, or a pirate, or even a dick or douchebag. I won't mind. Because if somebody calls me all those things merely because I use Adblock I know that I am not that much of a dick.in comparison.

[Midnight Robot]

One thing I'm wondering, how do content creators on YouTube know the ads on their channel are being blocked in the first place?

[Guest]

One thing I'm wondering, how do content creators on YouTube know the ads on their channel are being blocked in the first place?

They don't, but I guess they know that many people use it.

[Trik'Stari]

Hey. I'd happily buy a product or two for him to get a kickback, but it's pretty god damned evident by now that he doesn't give a shit about anyone outside the continental USA.

More like outside Canada, the jokes about the USA recently have been kinda pissing me off.

 

Not that you can't make jokes about the USA, but try not to just focus on us maybe? Maybe make fun of French Canadians or something, but the only "country" I've ever heard him say anything negative about is my country, so it kinda hurts a bit. (even though my country is kinda fucked up at the moment thanks to both of our retarded political parties)

 

Back to adverts, I just wish they would stop making commercials that are obnoxious. I get you want to tell me about your new product, that's fine, but stop with the gimmicks to try and make an advert memorable or outright annoying.

 

Tell me about the product, leave it at that, put the extra money you save from not making retarded commercials into either the price or quality of the product, THAT is good business.

[Yoinkerman]

To the people who think managing a video production, marketing, and content producing company with hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets and revenues isn't a "job", please tell me exactly what you do for work.

I implore you. I'll go first. I'm a telecommunications and radio system trouble tech for a major railway. I make more than 100k a year. I can tell you Linus works way more than I do.

[ToxicFire]

To the people who think managing a video production, marketing, and content producing company with hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets and revenues isn't a "job", please tell me exactly what you do for work.

I implore you. I'll go first. I'm a telecommunications and radio system trouble tech for a major railway. I make more than 100k a year. I can tell you Linus works way more than I do.

Thats like saying a kid selling lemonade in his front yard is as much as a job as major soft drinks producer, they may be in the same line of work but vastly different scales, ones a realistic job prospect the other isn't.

[Yoinkerman]

I'm not sure what you're referring to.  Who's the kid with lemonade and who's the soft drink producer?

 

Thats like saying a kid selling lemonade in his front yard is as much as a job as major soft drinks producer, they may be in the same line of work but vastly different scales, ones a realistic job prospect the other isn't.

[Guest]

if you use adbloack you should not have the right to complain

Yeah, let's strip rights from people using Adblock.

 

Great idea.

....

 

 

*mind blown*

[Razzaa]

I'm not sure what you're referring to. Who's the kid with lemonade and who's the soft drink producer?

Lol it is pretty obvious

[PCBjon]

Like alot of forum members I use ad block but saying that I do have my selected sites white listed LTT been one of them.

 

Been a self employed person myself I can understand the need for advertising its one of the most important things to help bring revenue in, but saying that I do think that LinusTechTips is all about tech and should only advertise tech related ads showing an ad that the service can only be got in a very few selected countries I.E Canada and America is a little silly.

 

So to recap ads on the forum iv no issues with just keep them tech related not ass wipes of shaving products as for YouTube ads I'm pretty sure that's out of Linus hands as to whats been advertised  

[Razzaa]

Nobody finds it ironic that a guy from Surrey is calling people scummy? Jus saying.......

[ToxicFire]

I'm not sure what you're referring to.  Who's the kid with lemonade and who's the soft drink producer?

I was pointing out that you ignored scale of operations i wasnting citing anyone specific

[flibberdipper]

I just don't use it on the forums.