I use firefox with the adblock extension. I have never seen one of those annoying ads since I switched to it.

Elaine

You may be experiencing an ad that has a script running. Rather common these days and very popular on this page since it changed hands (from what I understand). Just for fun do a search on GW for 'honey bunches of oats' or 'honey bunches of mild annoyance' to see how these ads have been documented and dealt with by various users.

In short one solution it to use the browser Firefox instead of Internet Explorer and install a quick, easy and free ad on that is a script killer. Once you have completed those steps you will be annoying ad free!

Hope this helps.

Kate

The ads were driving me crazy until I found Firefox! I love Firefox, It's wonderful, and thanks to all those who recommended it to me. Brandy

Foxfire is a miracle worker.
It will stop all the problems you mentioned regarding the agressive advertising employed by GardenWeb.
This website is not usable with it.
I had to make the decision to install Foxfire or quite visiting these forums. I'm glad I chose Foxfire!

Randy

Of course, I intended to say this website is not usable WITH OUT it.

Randy

This ad is very annoying but I was able to stop it fairly quickly by clicking on "skip"; I suspect the speed that I got past it has to do with the speed of my internet connection and NOT that I'm a really fast clicker! Need to look into this foxfire fix...

Hee. It's Firefox. :)

Elaine

Yep, switch to firefox and all the ads go away. After you download firefox, look for an add-on called Adblock Plus. You can find it by clicking Tools at the top of the page in Firefox, then click Add-ons. Download Adblock Plus, then it will ask you to subscribe to a list. Pick the english one. That will get rid of all the ads. If you want to be extra safe, then get another extension called NoScript. NoScript blocks java script and protects you from not only annoying ads, but also annoying ads with hidden computer viruses and keyloggers. You'll have to turn off NoScript on some webpages to get them to work properly which can be annoying, but I feel a lot safer with it.

I just realized that I'm on my work laptop so therefore on IE and that's why I'm getting all these popups!

I guess I shouldn't be on GW while working anyway.....

Download Firefox - I would never be on this forum without it.
The owners of this site are idiots!

The owners of this site are idiots!

They do seem to think that the only reason people visit this site is to look at ads. It's sad.

The other side of the coin...

I wanted to recommend a nursery to someone in NC or SC. That nursery is not an online nursery and never, ever advertised itself. Before I could click the submit button I got a warning in huge letters from 'the gurads' telling me that the named nursery spams the entire GW and for that reason they ask my cooperation in not mentioning them. Of course none of it is true. First, I thought the warning was a mistake, so I clicked "submit" again. I couldn't; the warning again showed up and I could not post till I erased the name of that nursery.

So much about helping fellow gardeners or recommend excellent nurseries.

In old times I heard about this nursery from other forum members; there was no problem mentioning this place.
But now "big brother" is watching.

I guess I don't quite understand what you are referring to, ceterum. Are you saying no nursery can be referred to when we post on these forums? Or just that one nursery, for some reason?

I've often seen nurseries recommended on this forum--by name.

I guess I'm missing the point--huh?

Puzzled,
Kate

I am also puzzled. I have no idea what's going on, but I do not like it whatever it is.

Maybe only online nurseries are allowed to be talked about because they are online nurseries. Or, maybe online nurseries are charged a fee and that's why it is not forbidden to mention them.

I do not understand what's going on either; I was just surprised and even more disgusted. That particular nursery is the very best source for plants for us who are in NC or SC - it takes me about 3 hours to get there but it was worth every time I took the trip. They have everything that one can dream of, at excellent prices and they always have a lot of new plants I have never even heard of.

I do not know the "whys" but it did happen. Actually, after it happened first, I tried several times to put down their name - not in a post I intended to submit, just the name, and the warning showed up immediately.

Spam, really, what a joke.

You can get a free add on from Internet explorer 7 add on Security. There are 20 different ad blockers.

You can also just click on the "back" button and go to another posting.

Lux.

Lux and Sam, do you answer to my post? because if you did, you lost me.

The curiosity is killing me....Plant Delights?

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Delights

Ceterum, I'm also curious. If you spelled the nursery backwards, does that get past the gurads?

In a perverse sort of way, I am grateful to the new owners of this site, for driving me to switch to Firefox. The Internet is so much better now!

When the new owners first took over, there were a LOT of complaints about all the popup ads and the embedded ads (which linked themselves to keywords IN YOUR OWN POST!), and several posters recommended FF for the Ad Blocker feature, so I downloaded and installed it and I love it. Great for a more stress-free Internet experience! compared to Bill Gate's product. I also have a Flash blocker through FF, since I have a dial-up connection and way too many websites are constructed from way too much Flash content, which is extremely slow on a dial-up.

My local newspaper's website is another one that is unusable without Firefox - picture this! images of poker cards floating across the home page advertising local casinos! you can't even read the content for the poker cards, in IE. No poker cards in FF!

Ronda,

IT is NOT Plant Delight.
I wanted to email you the name, but even in private email it is forbidden to mention them

That was the message I got in the private email I wanted to send you.

Spam Alert:

In order to fight spam, we need your cooperation!

Unfortunately, we have been the victims of spam attacks (the posting of ads) promoting this site or business (B....B....) and they are now blocked completely to prevent a recurrence.

Please do not mention them in our forums or elsewhere at this site.

Any attempt at circumventing this block by using our site to refer others to this business will be interpreted as an attempt to further spam our site and you will be permanently banned from using our services.GardenWeb

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping messages ad-free

1>

Now I am curious that the initials are also forbidden or that slips through.

So, you see, GW keeps us "spam free"

I have no idea how the 3 Musketeers and al get to some of you, LOL. I didn't see them since I use Firefox.

When I use the computer at work, which uses IE7, I get those ads only sporatically. However, at home, no matter what I do with IE or my Internet Security, they pop up on every window (even if just hitting the back button). So, yesterday I had to download Firefox. Didn't have to do any add-ons, just tell it to block pop-ups. Firefox doesn't seem any better or worse than IE, just a different product that does the same thing.

Bogie, if you'll install "Adblock Plus" to Firefox and follow the instructions for installation you'll see no popups, ad banners or anything annoying. I've used this for quite a while instead of IE7 and have never had any problems. See the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Adblock Plus for Firefox

guys, you missed the point.

Just for fun, here's a test of nurseries in SC & NC to see what happens.

Almost Heaven Antique roses
Ashdown roses
Bridges Roses
Heaven Sent roses
Roseland Nursery
Roses Unlimited
Wayside Gardens
Witherspoon Rose Vulture

I have no idea why that nursery would be blocked ceterum. They must have done something to annoy iVillage. Heh, maybe they refused to buy ads from them.

As I said, this nursery is not an online nursery and does not do mail orders - so it makes no sense for them to advertise or 'spam' GW or anything like that. They are not a rose nursery either. For this reason they are not listed at gardenwatchdog either. I heard about them years ago from the Carolina forum when sharing information of this sort was not forbidden.

Plaustris, nothing will happen. Obviously, online nurseries are allowed to be recommended.

The nursery ceterum is trying to get posted is Big Floomers but you must remove the F and replace it with a B! He he that works!

I use Firefox and this darn Pepperidge Farm has prevented me from posting for hours tonight. I finally went to bed, got up and came back here to see if I could post just to say happy birthday to Carla.

I have adblock and Firefox, and another thing I bought from Norton to block the ads but that Pepperidge FArm is the worst I have ever encountered. I would never, never, never buy a product from anyone with so annoying ads, not meant to entice obviously but to irritate the hello out of everyone.

Turn on pop up blocker on IE7 it removes the 3musketeers thing.

I have pop up blocker on IE7 and it does not remove the 3 musketeer thing. About every 3-5 threads I look at, there it is. Of course I just hit skip, but then the problem gets worse. So lately I've started looking at a rose on HMF whenever that happens so I don't see the ad, and still get some rose knowledge permeating my brain. But yes, it's very annoying.

Astphard, as others already recommended download and install Firefox with the ad blocker. I didn't see that ad you and others talk about.

I hate annoying ads, but it is probably the ads that keeps this site going, and allows all of us to enjoy it. I certainly could never run a site like this. I am glad someone does.

Two points:
1) Most of us do not see those annoying ads.

2) While the Foxfire/Ad Block certainly do block those annoying ads, it should be stated for the record (as someone did above)that if you have an updated IE, it will also block all those annoying ads. I do not see them and I have IE with Pop-up Ad Filter.

Kate

Fisrt, Firefox started the ad blocker and was much safer than IE. Second, I love to support anything that is not Microsoft.

de gustibus....

I seem to recall a serious spam problem (or was it something about using photographs without authority?) about a year ago with Big Floomers. That may be the source of the restriction.

Sue