Ad Banner Question

[EMT/FF99]

First I thought maybe it might have just been my computer with this Google Ads Banner located on the side of the screen. But after speaking with a few other TWD Members, they view the same thing. Is there a reason to why the Ad banner is now placed on the side of the screen?
In order to read or reply in posts, you have use the move bar at the bottom to see the posts & reply area. Can is there anyway We can place the Ad Banner at the bottom of the screen again, or is this the Server placing it on the side now?

[bmore]

Everybody hang in there. Phantom is working on some things. The reason everything was all jammed to the right was there was one banner that did not want to go sideways. Like those who don't follow the rules, it was placed in the timeout room. We are still experimenting with some of the banners and where to put them. How does it look today? Do you think along the side is less intrusive? Maybe one at the top? Keep the feedback coming.

bmore

[Ghetto3FF]

Top or bottom seems to better than the sides.

[Truck123]

Agreed. Even with a 17" monitor, the ad to the side is a bad idea in my opinion.

[Emtmom]

Agreed. Even with a 17" monitor, the ad to the side is a bad idea in my opinion.
Oh I agree, I don't like the side ads either!

[Phantom]

Curious here, what screen resolution are you using, I am set at 1024 x 768 it may also help me to know which skin you are using. I ask because my view has no loss of edge or roll over.

Incidentally, what do you guys think the alternatives to funding this site are, besides ads?

[EMT/FF99]

Curious here, what screen resolution are you using, I am set at 1024 x 768 it may also help me to know which skin you are using. I ask because my view has no loss of edge or roll over.

Incidentally, what do you guys think the alternatives to funding this site are, besides ads?My screen resolution was originally 800 x 600, changed it over to 1042 x 768 so no problems now. However, it is taking alittle time to get use to the banner on the side :o

[Phantom]

Thats good info, if you see other vb forums they generally look better in the higher resolutions - they have all sorts of sizing variations, ours is still among the plainest of they busy boards.

And feel free to direct people to us that want to advertise, our rates are very reasonable.

[Emtmom]

My screen resolution was originally 800 x 600, changed it over to 1042 x 768 so no problems now. However, it is taking alittle time to get use to the banner on the side :o
OMG how the hell do you read the type this damn small??????????????

[Emtmom]

Curious here, what screen resolution are you using, I am set at 1024 x 768 it may also help me to know which skin you are using. I ask because my view has no loss of edge or roll over.

Incidentally, what do you guys think the alternatives to funding this site are, besides ads?I don't mind the ads, it's just the one on the side is a pain that's all. Is there a way you can close it, on 50 megs there is a side one, but you can close it so it is not in the way of your page.

[EMT/FF99]

OMG how the hell do you read the type this damn small??????????????using my bifocals LOL :D :eek: :rolleyes:

[LT Mick]

I understand the need for the ad banners. I prefer them top or bottom instead of side bar, BUT. What I am seeing is a VERY slow response. I am on DSL at home and at work, and your site has slowed WAYYYYYY down recently

[Emtmom]

using my bifocals LOL :D :eek: :rolleyes: SEE, I KNEW YOU WERE OLD!!!!! :D

[FirePix1075]

Being in marketing as my full-time job, I understand the need for the ads to support the site, but having them on the side like that now is very distracting and actually makes it impossible to get a printer friendly page (at least on PMs) from what I have found.

I thought I had made a voluntary contribution but perhaps I didn't - if not, Phantom please let me know (Maybe it was another board that I supported) and I'll send something your way.

I don't think any of us really want to see a "paid" board, but perhaps there's some validity to a tiered $$ structure for members... with moderate costs, but something that will continue to sustain this great service that we all get so much out of.

[Phantom]

looking for a way to speed it up, which will utimately take $$. The site has picked up users which has caused the slow down. In order to correct this we need to give more $ to our sponsor www.firehousehosting.net to move up to a dedicated server.... never ending loop unfortunately.

A member fee that would eliminate the banners for paying members is possible... I think. What would that be worth to you?

[FirePix1075]

I guess the question of "how much is it worth" really depends on how much TWD would need.. I don't mind banner ads per se, but just in the place where they are is very distracting and makes printing pages a bit difficult.

I think $60/year would be a fair amount... that's 5 bucks a month..... How mamy members dowes TWD have? Gottabe at least a thousand I would think.. that could be 60 grand a year....

[bmore]

A lot of the problem with thewatchdesk running slow is the computer you are looking at it on. A lot of users see faster speeds when they re-boot the computer...... get rid of the adware...... and re-boot the modem on dsl or cable. If your looking for a adware removal a good free one is by Lavasoft.

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5

This is the link and it is free. You can upgrade and buy a license. Running this program will speed things up instantly. If you are running IE you have have nasty things you can't see which will slow down your PC.

If there is any requests, we publish a "FREE" newsletter that has some basic tips like this. There is also a good paid service that you can get where you call them and they will help you with all kinds of tecnical PC related issues. It is inexpensive and a very good buy.

Lots of places rip off folks just because they don't have a good understanding how this box of wires and buttons really works. If you wish anything that I just talked about send me PM or an email.

mailto:robert@firehousehosting.net

Everybody have a safe week. Did we all see bmore in "Ladder 49"?

[EMT/FF99]

A lot of the problem with thewatchdesk running slow is the computer you are looking at it on. A lot of users see faster speeds when they re-boot the computer...... get rid of the adware...... and re-boot the modem on dsl or cable. If your looking for a adware removal a good free one is by Lavasoft.

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5

This is the link and it is free. You can upgrade and buy a license. Running this program will speed things up instantly. If you are running IE you have have nasty things you can't see which will slow down your PC.

If there is any requests, we publish a "FREE" newsletter that has some basic tips like this. There is also a good paid service that you can get where you call them and they will help you with all kinds of tecnical PC related issues. It is inexpensive and a very good buy.

Lots of places rip off folks just because they don't have a good understanding how this box of wires and buttons really works. If you wish anything that I just talked about send me PM or an email.

mailto:robert@firehousehosting.net

Everybody have a safe week. Did we all see bmore in "Ladder 49"?
I use both IE & Mozilla's Firefox as my browsers. Have no problem in any way shape or form with any other site using these 2 browsers, however TWD is a different story. Within the past week, 17 times TWD has been extremely slow running. Good possibility is maybe not enough bandwidth? But yet, Firehouse.com & so forth all run ok. As for the Adware I will be checking it out soon, considering my Mother in Law's comp has been running ragged due to the adware crap in there.

[Emtmom]

It's not just the slow running, it's all the times you get page Can not be displayed. Or some system message and try refresh, and an email has been sent to the administrator. I run adaware and spysweeper on my puter once a week as well as cleaning out my cache 3 times a week. It doesn't help it run any faster, on this site. I haven't had problems with any of the other sites I visit.
I really enjoy the site, but there are getting to be more and more times that I can't even get here. And I know it's not just me, because I have called others who are members and they can't get on either.

[Phantom]

Something strange is going on with the internet tonight, for me at least, no google, no firehouse, and many others, but the watchdesk is still running. I have no idea. THe feedback is good, please keep it coming. I certainly hope more than the 4 people that have replied give input, and I think that $60 a year is way too high although 60K would be really, really cool:)

[bmore]

I use both IE & Mozilla's Firefox as my browsers. Have no problem in any way shape or form with any other site using these 2 browsers, however TWD is a different story. Within the past week, 17 times TWD has been extremely slow running. Good possibility is maybe not enough bandwidth? But yet, Firehouse.com & so forth all run ok. As for the Adware I will be checking it out soon, considering my Mother in Law's comp has been running ragged due to the adware crap in there.

First, it is not a bandwidth issue. We have no restrictions on the bandwidth through the portal and are serviced by the 5 major telco's. Second, we are not Firehouse.com. Third, as stated in my previous post, the place where u will see bandwidth problems is on the user end. The sender is great. Sign up for the free newsletter and get some free edjamakation on some other tips to speed things up. Phantom is correct in the "internet" has a lot to do with speed. You can have a Mercedes but, when u put a ugo engine in it, it is still a Ugo.

[Emt9705]

First, it is not a bandwidth issue. We have no restrictions on the bandwidth through the portal and are serviced by the 5 major telco's. Second, we are not Firehouse.com. Third, as stated in my previous post, the place where u will see bandwidth problems is on the user end. The sender is great. Sign up for the free newsletter and get some free edjamakation on some other tips to speed things up. Phantom is correct in the "internet" has a lot to do with speed. You can have a Mercedes but, when u put a ugo engine in it, it is still a Ugo.This is the only site that I have problems with also. How many people are having the SAME PROBLEM, then it can't be just their computer. TWD runs slow, however the rest of the internet sites accessed are running fine.

[FirePix1075]

This is the only site that I have problems with also. How many people are having the SAME PROBLEM, then it can't be just their computer. TWD runs slow, however the rest of the internet sites accessed are running fine.

Agree 100%. Ditto.

[Phantom]

I think it is the site, but not a problem with bandwidth, the vbulletin software is a server hog. I am researching ways to make it less server intensive but things like pictures and searches just eat it up. (The features everyone likes) This has become more noticable as the users have picked up, we went from a server load average of 12 in the evenings (which is too much) to something like 17 to 25 which just bogs everything down. I am looking at how to tweak it, but I am not a php or mysql pro. So it will take time. Sorry

[Emtmom]

I think it is the site, but not a problem with bandwidth, the vbulletin software is a server hog. I am researching ways to make it less server intensive but things like pictures and searches just eat it up. (The features everyone likes) This has become more noticable as the users have picked up, we went from a server load average of 12 in the evenings (which is too much) to something like 17 to 25 which just bogs everything down. I am looking at how to tweak it, but I am not a php or mysql pro. So it will take time. Sorry
Might I suggest maybe deleteing some of the old threads that no one has posted in in maybe 6 months or longer? I know I wanted to go back and delete the fundraisers for my dept. that are over, but the time ran out for me to be able to edit. I figured they were over, no reason to keep the posts. Just an idea you might want to consider.

[Phantom]

They don't effect the serer load as they aren't loaded unless called. Won't help

[bmore]

I think it is the site, but not a problem with bandwidth, the vbulletin software is a server hog. I am researching ways to make it less server intensive but things like pictures and searches just eat it up. (The features everyone likes) This has become more noticable as the users have picked up, we went from a server load average of 12 in the evenings (which is too much) to something like 17 to 25 which just bogs everything down. I am looking at how to tweak it, but I am not a php or mysql pro. So it will take time. Sorry


Once again, it is not bandwidth. It is the application. Your little computers with applications this big will run slow. I gave some solutions on how to make it run faster. But noooooo all the self proclaimed computer experts point the finger again. Can anybody remember all the problems before it was on our server? Well I do. When you click on a thread with a thousand messages it has to bring up each and every one. It is only common sense that a thousand people take longer to get in the door than 5 or 6. To make it even more simple for our resident experts...... a simple static web page will load much faster than a heavy database application. To add to the load all the cute little bells and whistles add to this load.

But, go ahead, don't clean your computer and don't follow the tips and yeah...watch it run slow. Now, Phantom I feel much better.

We continue to monitor your applications and load. This server you are on has only run at 61% capacity one time in the last 90 days. And that was not because of visitors...we were doing a stress test on the server after a software upgrade. Sorry for venting but, it really irritates me when I'm told wrong information.

Everybody have a good day!

[bmore]

P,
Did some more engineering stuff after I cooled off. Of those in question, we have global, adelphia and att. One timed out after 38 hops and the others were at least 22 on each test. Oh, yeah and there are dialups.....lol have a good weekend.

[Phantom]

In case I wasn't clear before it is not a hosting, hardware, or bandwidth issue, it is a vbulletin issue, this seems to be a known issue in the software that I have to learn how to address. Another seperate issue but a universal problem as well is spyware, especially if you have kids or firemen using your computer. I'll work on my end, I hope everyone else protects themselves on the other. :)

[Emtmom]

I run both a spy sweeper program and ad aware on my computer twice a week, I also clean out my cache every other day. Being webmaster of 4 sites I am online alot. Today I tried to get online late morning and the site was again down. I got a phone call from another member also saying the site was down, or not accesible if you prefer! Then early afternoon I was able to get back to the site, but, when I came back online this afternoon the site was again not available. I Know it wasn't just me, because I recieved an email from another member telling me the site was down again. I emailed him back and told him I was on the phone with another member, and guess what, he was also UNABLE to get here, site unavailable.
You can keep blaming our computers all you want, we know it can't possibly be all OUR computers, when so many of us are having this problem. I may not be a computer genius, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that all this is caused by OUR computers!

[Emtmom]

In case I wasn't clear before it is not a hosting, hardware, or bandwidth issue, it is a vbulletin issue, this seems to be a known issue in the software that I have to learn how to address. Another seperate issue but a universal problem as well is spyware, especially if you have kids or firemen using your computer. I'll work on my end, I hope everyone else protects themselves on the other. :)
I thought your last post was clear! I NEVER let anyone use my puter, my fireman has a laptop puter and my kids have a puter a friend gave us just for them. I'm selfish, this baby is all mine! :D

[Emt9705]

I thought your last post was clear! I NEVER let anyone use my puter, my fireman has a laptop puter and my kids have a puter a friend gave us just for them. I'm selfish, this baby is all mine! :DGuess we all must be stupid or something? Maybe thats we are in Ems/Fire and not working on Computers. My system is "cleaned out" every 4 days, virus scan, adware & so forth.However, again twice today TWD was down, but EVERYTHING else was running ok.