I don't mind a well placed, non-intrusive advert. I get why some websites have them, to raise cash to pay for the hosting and whatnot, and I whitelist them.
A forum I frequent is run by a chap in his spare time, as well as installation and config of the board software we've had a server go titsup and then general forum moderation which is always going to be necessary when people come together, shielded by keyboards. I'm not going to begrudge him a few pence a month, so I whitelist the site and hopefully others do to - importantly, he's never asked us to. They're at the bottom of the screen, if you never scroll down that far you never even see them.
Yet go on a site belonging to a multi billion pound business and they'll throw up a massive full-screen advert, or if you have an ad-blocker you get a huge full screen banner complaining that it's unfair. Had they stuck to unintrusive stuff they'd be let through, but they're being a bully.
Or not even just adverts - Pintrest nag you into signing up, even if you leap in via a search you get a 25% shade on the screen demanding you log in, which then covers 100% as you scroll down. This isn't even their content they're protecting, by definition it's stuff "borrowed" from elsewhere on the web!
In my eyes, it's like Channel 4 disabling your kettle or automatically closing your living room door during the advert breaks. "We need to show some adverts, but we absolutely need to know you're watching them. You can't watch the rest of the show until we know you've seen them so sit back. And don't close your eyes, we know if you've done that"
Biting the hand that feeds IT
