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Ad Blocker Software: I'm Going to the Dark Side

I am going to the dark side: blocking ads. I've been in business since 1994 on the Internet, making my first money off of an advertising-supported site, eg3.com. Generally speaking, I recognize that ads support the "free" content on the Internet, and I am decidely NOT against ads.

I am Not Against Ads. I am Against Slowness


 But... we're reaching the tipping point.
Ad Blocking Software
My Web browsing is getting slower and slower and slower. I was recently at Content Marketing World in Cleveland, and at one of the presentations (on advertising), the jolly presenter talked about ad-serving software, and all the wonderful data it gave advertisers (on me and my habits). I'm not opposed to that: I recognize that "personally non-identifiable" information isn't bad - I'd like to get relevant ads.

 I don't mind ads.

Ads Slow Down Your Browsing


 What I DO mind is slowness. As I watched the presenter, I realized that it was the ad serving - the remarketing, the lookups to ad networks, the "slow waiting till they figure out who I am, what demographic and what I am" that is SLOWING DOWN MY WEB BROWSER.

 So here I am: going to the dark side.

 I simply Googled "ad blocker for chrome" and installed the #1 result from the Chrome store (rather ironic, no?).  AdBlock.

 Note to all Internet advertisers: you gotta increase the SPEED of advertising if you want us to play nice. Until then, I'm blocking ads.

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