Comments on: Android basically a Trojan horse. https://habitablezone.com/2015/02/04/android-basically-a-trojan-horse/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:45:24 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2015/02/04/android-basically-a-trojan-horse/#comment-32261 hank Thu, 05 Feb 2015 22:02:38 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=48762#comment-32261 It's about squeezing as much revenue out of the content as possible. I don't have to tell you some websites have next to no content, they are just a vehicle to carry commercials. Those that cater to entertainment and the cult of celebrity seem to be particularly bad. Hence, the Kardassian culture. Its sad, because advertising allows our press to be free and affordable, because funding can be acquired from sources other than the government. We no longer live in the world where the local newspaper could finance itself with a modest price and an occasional ad from the local grocer, stable or wine merchant. Ben Franklin must be spinning in his grave. It’s about squeezing as much revenue out of the content as possible. I don’t have to tell you some websites have next to no content, they are just a vehicle to carry commercials. Those that cater to entertainment and the cult of celebrity seem to be particularly bad. Hence, the Kardassian culture.

Its sad, because advertising allows our press to be free and affordable, because funding can be acquired from sources other than the government.

We no longer live in the world where the local newspaper could finance itself with a modest price and an occasional ad from the local grocer, stable or wine merchant. Ben Franklin must be spinning in his grave.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2015/02/04/android-basically-a-trojan-horse/#comment-32260 bowser Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:15:22 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=48762#comment-32260 What I'm talking about is watching a Youtube video and having 5 five) ads plastered across the screens, or a news article and having another 5 (five) ads on the sides and bottoms, often covering content. It's true, most, not all, but most of them have Xs in the corner so you can kill them, but shortly another comes along. I've spent a little less than $100 to kill them, with some luck. But it's a nuisance. What I’m talking about is watching a Youtube video and having 5 five) ads plastered across the screens, or a news article and having another 5 (five) ads on the sides and bottoms, often covering content.

It’s true, most, not all, but most of them have
Xs in the corner so you can kill them, but shortly another comes along.

I’ve spent a little less than $100 to kill them, with some luck. But it’s a nuisance.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2015/02/04/android-basically-a-trojan-horse/#comment-32259 ER Thu, 05 Feb 2015 04:57:34 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=48762#comment-32259 ...but somebody has to pay the bills, you don't get something for nothing. Its only fair that advertising be used as a means of financing the delivery of useful content. When I buy an astronomy or sailing magazine, I don't resent the advertising in it, even if the ads are for non-astronomy, or non-sailing goods and services. I can see why the makers of fine watches or sporty automobiles might advertise in yachting magazines. But when publications or web content is assembled primarily as a means of delivering advertisements, it really pisses me off. Its like the fashion magazines, that are filled with page after page of glossily produced ads and which actually contain no articles at all. The astronomy rags haven't gotten that bad, but a lot of boating magazines seem to have evolved into primarily a means of marketing expensive gear and accessories. The articles are getting scarcer and thinner, and less valuable. Your post suggests something similar is happening with "Android", whatever the hell that is. Again, don't get me wrong, there is nothing bad about commercials, and they serve a perfectly legitimate social and economic function. But advertising for the sake of advertising, as an end in itself, is perverse and decadent. What is wrong with these people? Have they no shame? How can any self-respecting human being earn his living doing this kind of work? There is something about the commercial mentality I find very disturbing, even obscene. …but somebody has to pay the bills, you don’t get something for nothing. Its only fair that advertising be used as a means of financing the delivery of useful content. When I buy an astronomy or sailing magazine, I don’t resent the advertising in it, even if the ads are for non-astronomy, or non-sailing goods and services. I can see why the makers of fine watches or sporty automobiles might advertise in yachting magazines.

But when publications or web content is assembled primarily as a means of delivering advertisements, it really pisses me off. Its like the fashion magazines, that are filled with page after page of glossily produced ads and which actually contain no articles at all.

The astronomy rags haven’t gotten that bad, but a lot of boating magazines seem to have evolved into primarily a means of marketing expensive gear and accessories. The articles are getting scarcer and thinner, and less valuable. Your post suggests something similar is happening with “Android”, whatever the hell that is.

Again, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad about commercials, and they serve a perfectly legitimate social and economic function. But advertising for the sake of advertising, as an end in itself, is perverse and decadent.

What is wrong with these people? Have they no shame? How can any self-respecting human being earn his living doing this kind of work? There is something about the commercial mentality I find very disturbing, even obscene.

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