Radiant2007 :-):Why don't you turn off the ads?  I think that should solve the problem.

King Reza: That would mean that i put my head in the sand? So, everybody here is putting their head in the sand??? How offending & insane!

Radiant2007 :-): When you surf the net you kinda need that sandpit otherwise you would be offended by probably more than half the sites you might come across. In the settings page you can display the ad on the bottom of the page only or like King Reza said just turn them off.

The more sensible option would be to talk to your kids before allowing them anywhere near the net and explain that no matter how careful they are they may see things that are not particularly savoury. Being open and honest with your kids and keeping an eye on their surfing habits will still only protect them so much. Those sort of ads are rife and you will never stop them.

Radiant2007 :-):  Not really.  In many countries they show things like that on TV too.  Those who don't wanna watch, don't turn on their TVs in those hours.  I think Fencer has no control over what ads ar eput on the site.  He needs them to make money.  I, due to my certain religion, don't watch those things, so I have the ads off and I'm not offended that they exist if I turn the adds on.  It would, however, offend me if there was no way to shut them.  

King Reza: Nevertheless, Radiant2007 :-) has a valid point. Ads such as the one she described are inconsistent with the spirit of General Guideline #3. Perhaps you are not offended by the ads since you can turn them off, but that does not make Radiant's position unreasonable. Also note that most users do not have the option to disable ads. The analogy with an ostrich burying its head in the sand is apt.

A year or two ago, Fencer was working hard to make BrainKing into a great gaming site, and making admirable progress. But for several months now there has been noticeably less emphasis on improving the quality of the gaming experience. Instead, Fencer seems to be focusing much more on finding ways to increase revenue, through tasteless ads and other things unrelated to BrainKing's main purpose as a gaming site. He should expect to lose some users.

KotDB: I havent seen the ads in question but do agree with you on this...Instead, Fencer seems to be focusing much more on finding ways to increase revenue etc etc etc.

What used to be a person/man you could talk to is now fairly unapproachable when criticised...oh well....will have to buy the games and play at home LOLOL......not long to go....

KotDB: It's funny to read "there has been noticeably less emphasis on improving the quality of the gaming experience" from someone who never spent a cent to support the site, uses its services for free and has no idea about the work behind it. And, what is even funnier, who has absolutely no idea about the real purpose of all this.
Yes, I expect to lose some users, especially the common complainers. That the "problem" will be solved.

Fencer: Your response to my post is troubling. Rather than address the substance of my remarks, you've resorted to an unprovoked ad hominem argument. Nevertheless, I will reply, at least this once. I will try to keep the discussion civil, and I hope you will do the same in the future.

You made four statements about me:

• "never spent a cent to support the site"
  This is true. But it does not negate the legitimacy of my opinions, nor is it cause for you to complain. You have offered a product for sale, but that does not obligate anyone to purchase it. Individuals will purchase it or not, as they see fit. Just as BrainKing is yours to develop as you will, my money is mine to spend as I will. (If I remember correctly, you yourself have stated more than once, although not recently, that you don't expect every user to buy a membership.) At present, I do not consider BrainKing membership to be worth the price. I have fairly concrete thoughts about what changes might make me reconsider; if you're interested, I can share them with you at another time.


• "uses its services for free"
  This also is true, and this also does not give you cause to complain. You have chosen to make BrainKing available, with some limitations, at no charge. If you don't want anyone to use BK for free, all you have to do is disallow it by discontinuing the Pawn membership level. It is your site, and you can grant or deny access as you please. As long as you permit Pawns to use the site without paying, it is inappropriate to criticize them for doing so.


• "has no idea about the work behind it"
  This is false. Of course I am not privy to every detail, but I certainly recognize that creating BrainKing from scratch and developing it into its current form has required a monumental amount of labor -- from designing the initial concept and structure, to painstakingly writing and debugging many thousands of lines of code, to dealing with endless demands from very opinionated users. Perhaps I don't agree with every decision you've made along the way, but that does not mean I think your role is easy.


• "has absolutely no idea about the real purpose of all this"
  Well, if you're not making money from the ads, then what is their purpose? Please enlighten us.

BrainKing has a lot of potential. I would very much like to see it become the kind of gaming site that I could pay for. When I first joined in 2005, that seemed like a possibility. Now it seems unlikely. But you may yet surprise me. You've done so before.

KotDB:
Unless you want to make this a public debate, please message Fencer directly about your complaints because I don't want to hear about it.

If you do want to make it a public debate, then you've actually talked yourself into a hole. The fact is, the site is free - yes there are ads unless you want to pay. That makes sense to everyone here. If you want to be cheap, live with ads. You get what you pay for.

Radiant2007 :-): Fencer is trying to stop those ads by using a filter, somehow they must still be sneaking in, it certainly isnt what anyone wants here.

Antje: A filter will never work because the advertisers know about them so find ways to get around them. I have noticed a distinct drop in their appearance though. They were constant for a bit but now most of the advertising is violent sickly green flashing that "this is no joke you have won" right under my move buttons.

Fencer could use a different advertising service. It's not true that offensive ads cannot be stopped. A reputable advertising service wouldn't even offer those kinds of ads.

Radiant2007 :-): Are you kidding? Using an advantage of the paid membership is not putting a head in the sand. However, if you feel like that, do what you want to do.

Fencer: I don't know why there are suddenly ads on this site; that must have been agreed upon while I was away for several months. Just recently, since Dec. I came back on to play a few games and i never really bothered the ads, Mostlly about cell phones etc.. but last night I played a game and I suddenly saw two people kissing and it looked like an adult movie! There were also movie kind of pictures of young girls showing their bodies half naked. If this was just a date site, i should have perhaps not bothered it when i just would have seen pictures of their faces or fashionable dressed up ladies. I spotted those after midnight and was NOT happy to see them there!

If you are not aware of what the ad-companies are putting in their programs what they show online, I am glad I saw that to inform you. Don't you like it to be informed of what is been seen on your site? Especcially when others DO seem to bother as well? Please act accordingly!

Wr to the ads: as a Bishop <b>PAID</B> membership I cannot remove the ads. But I won't remove them; because that is NOT the solution to this issue! BK should be free from any of these type of ads.... aren't we a FAMILY ORIENTED game site?

Anyway, I am not going to discuss this matter any further. Less then a month from now my membership is due and I will not renew it.

Please act accordingly.
Blessings, Radiant

Radiant2007 :-): "BK should be free from any of these type of ads" - why? What is wrong on dating? It is not against a family orientation, at least from my point of view. I understand that different people can treat this thing in different ways but no solution can be good enough for everyone. That's why there is the option to turn off the ads at all. Who does not want to do it, should not complain about it.

Fencer: I am not against dating, but against the obvious pictures that use in this ad. By turning them off they still make an impact on BK. That has nothing to do with complaining; but with genuine concern!

Radiant2007 :-): By the way, have you ever bothered to visit the, as you say, profane sites? You would know that there is no porno, just a dating service, and it's not a bad thing.

Fencer: Luckily, I do not see any ads :)

joshi tm: Very well, you are a smart person.

Radiant2007 :-):http://brainking.com/en/Board?bc=1&ngi=704812

Gabriel Almeida: Just out of curiosity, what do you expect me to do now?
If you ever bothered to read what I write here (and on other boards), you could already answer yourself without asking. There is no point to repeat the obvious facts over and over. Since there is no pleasing some kind of people, if you really want to, leave the site. The problem is solved.
Yes, it is a political answer and I know you hate it.

Fencer: ads like that are EVERYWHERE these days,papers,tv,internet.
ive got them off here cos i have the option but tv there is no "hide" button...they are part of modern life.

Tulip: Right, you understand my point.

Gabriel Almeida: Very well, you have said that at last. The real source of your complaints is not any commercial ad but the simple fact that moderators don't allow you to write some words to the public boards. But anything like that can work as a good excuse.