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Are these ads part of Tweaktown now?

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  • Are these ads part of Tweaktown now?

    See the picture below. Are these green underlined popup (and somewhat annoying) ads part of Tweaktown, or have I got some sort of spyware?

    I've completely (and manually) deleted the contents of my Temporary Internet Files folder, run Adaware and removed all spyware as usual, run The Cleaner to make sure no Trojans are doing this, check my Certificates to make sure I didn't install this by accident (which I'm sure I didn't).

    So my question is do others see this, is it part of Tweaktown and how can I get rid of it?
    My Machine

  • #2
    Well they're bein' generated out of the links on that page. :?:

    Comment


    • #3
      I don't get what you mean Wiggo. When you read an article on Tweaktown do you see the same green underlined keywords and yellow popups?

      As I said, I've deleted everything in my temp internet folder and check for any program files which have installed without my knowledge, but there are none. Everything I've found is legitimate so far, even using Regedit and Regcleaner to search my registry.

      I know the popups come from the green links, but I'm wondering if the green links are meant to be there. They are obviously part of some form of advertising...but has Tweaktown officially taken them up?
      My Machine

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      • #4
        Yep I see the same but I only get those pop-ups when the cursor hovers over those links though what the go with them is I have no idea. :shrug:

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        • #5
          OK good...I thought I had some sort of spyware infection. If the green links are meant to be there then that's a bit of a relief. I understand that the yellow popups only come up when you go over a green llink, I was wondering if the links themselves were the spyware.

          I personally think they're pretty bad. Maybe worth reconsidering? If you look at the example in the pic above, the words "16 bit color" and "32 bit color" are underlined (from page 4 of my UT2003 guide). The average user would think if they clicked on them they'd get technical definitions of some kind. If you do click on them though one leads to a page selling some wacky PCI card I've never heard of and the other leads to a page selling scanners - neither of which have anything to do with the words, and are misleading at best.

          Words like "bug fixes" are underlined, but if you click the link it takes you to a page with links to spamming tools or somesuch.

          Basically I strongly dislike this form of advertising :grr: - that's why I thought only spyware would install something this bad. They're misleading and annoying to have in our guides and articles.

          Hope they are reconsidered and removed. In comparison simple popup ads and banner ads would be MUCH better.
          My Machine

          Comment


          • #6
            Yes, this is a new form of advertising we are testing out. We have a limit of no more than 5 links per page.
            Cameron "Mr.Tweak" Wilmot
            Managing Director
            Tweak Town Pty Ltd

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            • #7
              Is there any way of telling the advertisers to pick more targetted keywords? I mean if the word "9800 Pro" was underlined for example, and when you click on it it took you to a page with 9800 Pro models and prices, that would actually be relevant and useful.

              At the moment the word choices (like 32-bit color as I pointed out above) are very strange and the links are completely irrelevant in some cases.

              When I was reading your Aquamark article Cam I thought you'd inserted those links. The fact that I, someone who has been on TT for a while, couldn't tell if it was spyware, or inserted by the author - and was confused about the irrelevance of the links and annoying popup text which would get in my way every time i moved the mouse anywhere near them - that's not a good sign.

              Anyway just providing my opinion on them and hopefully they can be refined or removed for something else....
              My Machine

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              • #8
                it appears I've discovered another bonus to using Firebird. I don't see those ad links at all, no sign of them what-so-ever. Maybe it has something to do with it's built-in pop-up blocking, I dunno...
                I've got no problems with TT using ads to keep itself going, but if I could see those ads I would probably find it very annoying as well. :2cents:

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                • #9
                  I also get none of that pop-up tags or anything. to mozilla

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                  • #10
                    Ummm... where are these ads? I've not seen one and the front page, articles and guides are normal for me as well.
                    Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill
                    My Toys

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                    • #11
                      For one, nothing is blocking the ads. They only work in IE 5.5 and higher.
                      Cameron "Mr.Tweak" Wilmot
                      Managing Director
                      Tweak Town Pty Ltd

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Yep, the ads appear as context help information on IE only.

                        I see them in IE but see nothing with Netscape....

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                        • #13
                          I never considered switching from IE to another browser before, but hmmmm.......
                          My Machine

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                          • #14
                            I must be missing something then as I have WinXP Pro w/ SP1 installed using IE6. I'm not seeing anything like ya'll are describing.
                            Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill
                            My Toys

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                            • #15
                              I saw it in the Aquamark thingy, and that was it.. IE 6 / SP1...

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