Editorial and Adblocking

Message

myname7772 · #1 Post by **myname7772** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:55 am

I have recently noticed many restockers get iced. When restocking if you have JavaScript disabled is that considered cheating? ~zlqqlz

Yes, disabling JavaScript or images while restocking is considered giving yourself an unfair advantage over other players, and is not allowed. Even though it's a browser function and not a 3rd party cheat, it's still not allowed. Just like opening 100 window tabs and hitting "refresh all" trying to get Random Events will get you frozen faster than you can say, "Geraptiku" (or figure out how to pronounce it; one or the other).

I do block some of the images in shops with adblock, but not only ads but some undesirable items as well. Would that qualify as cheating? I know some other PPTers who also do it.[/quote]

neobeth · #2 Post by **neobeth** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:04 am

Reading the answer they gave, yes it is considered cheating.

varii · #3 Post by **varii** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:06 am

Yep. Keywords are giving yourself an unfair advantage, so pretty much anything that you do to alter your site experience to make np in anyway.

I think this is what they're aiming for with the delay ads up at the top too. No more ad blocking for anyone, or else they're considered cheaters.

TDG · #4 Post by **TDG** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:18 am

Blocking ads is not considered cheating, especially now with the new loading screen that means the ads load last out of anything, however, blocking undesirable items in stores definately is cheating. No doubt about it.

Magica · #5 Post by **Magica** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:34 am

I think what they mean is when you restock in shops you adblock the items you don't buy so only the items that you do buy are visible.

Kenjiro · #6 Post by **Kenjiro** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:44 pm

Just don't block anything at all... The ads are there because Neopets wants you to see the ads. The rest on the site is not spam or anything, so you don't have a reason to block any images or whatever, except for cheating. Which is of course wrong and not allowed.

fructy · #7 Post by **fructy** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:54 pm

Kenjiro wrote:Just don't block anything at all... The ads are there because Neopets wants you to see the ads. The rest on the site is not spam or anything, so you don't have a reason to block any images or whatever, except for cheating. Which is of course wrong and not allowed.

I don't think blocking ads is against the rules. The reason I block the ads is because some of the ads were inappropriate. Some people even got a virus from them or got pop up windows because of them. I'm just trying to protect my computer from getting a virus, I don't see how that can be against the rules...

TDG · #8 Post by **TDG** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:01 pm

fructy wrote:
Kenjiro wrote:Just don't block anything at all... The ads are there because Neopets wants you to see the ads. The rest on the site is not spam or anything, so you don't have a reason to block any images or whatever, except for cheating. Which is of course wrong and not allowed.

I don't think blocking ads is against the rules. The reason I block the ads is because some of the ads were inappropriate. Some people even got a virus from them or got pop up windows because of them. I'm just trying to protect my computer from getting a virus, I don't see how that can be against the rules...

Don't worry, adblocking is definitely not against the rules. The staff have said that. Its when you start using Adblock to block images of unprofitable items to restock etc that it becomes abuse

Sigh · #9 Post by **Sigh** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:13 pm

i don't even INTENTIONALLY block ads lol XD
my browser does it for me

so if they're gonna ice me for using firefox i don't want to play anymore.
anyhow, just out of curiosity...
HOW in the heck is turning off javascript giving an unfair advantage???
ANYONE CAN DO IT! I understand how blocking certain images isn't allowed, that's a bit... much. But turning off javascript just so you don't get an annoying popup that asks if you are sure you want to buy this item? If I DIDN'T, i wouldn't have clicked on it!!! Come on! And tell me, how is it fair that some people have faster connection speeds than others? Dial up users pretty much have 0 chance of restocking, but neopets isn't suddenly freezing people with T9 connections!

Morningstar · #10 Post by **Morningstar** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:59 pm

A few years ago, Adam (under the PPT member name of borovan90834) used many of us PPT members as "guinea pigs" when the banner, sidebar, and bottom ads were first put on the site. He asked for our feedback, asked if they caused delay, would fix problems as they arose, and heck, he even unfroze an account of a PPT member after reading her post. Here is one comment he made on November 25, 2004 regarding the banner ads:

Officially we dont have a choice in the matter, seriously.

Unofficially you can block the big ugly banner with Firefox

Adam

You can find this post here: http://www.pinkpt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=191279&highlight=#191279

Based on this, I believe that the recent editorial is directed toward those who block images while restocking and not directed toward those of us who block ads.

anjuna · #11 Post by **anjuna** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:26 pm

sigh_driven wrote:anyhow, just out of curiosity...
HOW in the heck is turning off javascript giving an unfair advantage???
ANYONE CAN DO IT! I understand how blocking certain images isn't allowed, that's a bit... much. But turning off javascript just so you don't get an annoying popup that asks if you are sure you want to buy this item? If I DIDN'T, i wouldn't have clicked on it!!! Come on! And tell me, how is it fair that some people have faster connection speeds than others?

I was thinking along these lines, too. That the choice to block scripts is one that we all have. As in almost every modern/popular browser has the option. In my case, it is all scripts or none (actually there is one just for ActiveX, too). Especially in light of the recent (and reoccurring) cookie grabber episodes, I don't feel safe with scripts on all the time. I think it is unfair to punish those that are actually taking responsibility for their browsing/gaming experience, while TNT is doing 'nothing' to protect us otherwise. Besides, I think a much better solution to deterring 'cheating' via disabling javascript would be something like introducing slightly longer times before one can buy another item from the shop they are in. Maybe not quite as long as the 'couple of minutes' like for the IGS, but something longer than the 5 seconds allowed in regluar Neopian shops. I bet 10 or 15 seconds might be more appropriate (and also upset a lot of users) but that, in my opinion, would be more fair than icing people with scripts off.

Meer · #12 Post by **Meer** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:52 pm

anjuna wrote:Especially in light of the recent (and reoccurring) cookie grabber episodes, I don't feel safe with scripts on all the time. I think it is unfair to punish those that are actually taking responsibility for their browsing/gaming experience, while TNT is doing 'nothing' to protect us otherwise.

That's my thoughts exactly. And I was worried when I first saw that editorial question.

But perhaps, since blocking ads is allowed, it's only blocking images of things in shops that's disallowed, can we assume that turning off scripts to view user created pages to protect oneself from malicious scripts is okay, only using it to buy things from shops quicker is not?

smudgeoffudge · #13 Post by **smudgeoffudge** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:53 pm

How do I turn Adblock off?|
How do I clean out my Adblock folders?

#14 Post by **shapu** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:51 am

Cleaning out your adblock filters can be done by going to Tools->Adblock->Adblock preferences.

Blocking Javascript is cheating because it is an integrated part of the site - you must do A (click the box) to get to B (buying the item). It is coded into the site's script and has been there long before ads or anything else that is third-party loaded or provided.

besides, is it that hard to hit the "Enter" key? I've been restocking for ages, quite successfully, and I've never had a problem with tapping the enter key (or, as is my current preference, the spacebar) rightquick when restocking. Especially since I have one hand on the mouse and one on the keyboard anyway.

Blocking non-desired images is cheating because, again, you are blocking a part of the site, not a third-party image or implement.

Adblocking is not cheating, especially now, because you are choosing to merely block a distraction and move the page about. It has nothing to do with speed of play.

_ei · #15 Post by **_ei** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:21 pm

Weren't they talking about having the page load before the ads now anyway? (I use premium so I haven't seen it in effect) So blocking ads wouldn't speed up the site and wouldn't be considered cheating.

TNT have said numerous times in the past that the deliberate blocking of "unprofitable" item images in shops is cheating, it effectively makes it easier for you to restock.

As far as "everyone having the capability" it's still cheating - after all everyone has the capability to download an AB program but we can't consider their usage "fair".