- Loads immediately, no frustrating and slow skeleton loading gray boxes
- No popups asking you to subscribe, register, or download a mobile app
Why do we tolerate the modern web treating us so poorly when the example of how to do it better has been around since the 90s?
I’ve been wondering why ad blockers aren’t better about blocking these. I’m not sure when the last time was when I got a popup on a website that was something I wanted to see.
While network filters are still working well, it's getting harder to block on-site elements like popups because web frameworks often generate nonsensical class names to apply on divs, to prevent Developer A's class names and styles from conflicting with Developer B's. So if previously you could successfully hide the HTML email popup container by looking for the class/id "ad-container", you won't be able to do that if the class/id changes to "xxgsgshhmahbgsg"
As for why they do it, businesses are fundamentally amoral. Take your average Silicon Valley entrepreneur and transplant them into Somalia with no way to leave, and they'd be figuring out the ideal way to capture cargo ships and hold their crews for ransom. Then if said crews were raped by some misbehaving underlings, they'd try to disguise it to maximize the profits.
It's the meta joke behind the entire Silicon Valley TV series. Some characters are more likeable than others, but almost all of the key players are fundamentally incompetent/insecure/exploitative people that you wouldn't want in your life given the option.
The difference between being pulled into it and seeking content myself is an important one. Services that annoy people into doing what they want may get short term results but are generating a lot of ill-will for the medium and long term.
This website even has reasonable advertisements in the side-bar. No floating videos that auto-play, no ads injected right in the middle of the content I'm reading. Just a plain old ad on the right side of the content.