I don't think I've purposely clicked on an ad since the first time I saw one.

remember in 1996 or so when people were worried about the commercialization of the web?

The commercialization of the web was/is an interesting conundrum. Without it, there'd be a lot less internet and an entire generation of nerds would be out of work. But the whole notion of serving ads as its primary profit model makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

(I click ads in one specific condition: when I'm searching google/live for a product that I want to buy. In a surprising number of cases, the ads links DO have the product I want for cheaper, sometimes even from the vendor I was going to use anyway by means of some kooky coupon discount referral scheme. And Live has that cashback thing that's actually worth a scan even tho it's kinda a hasle.)

I'd like Google Ads and their ilk implement a feature where people who never click on ads and don't want to see them could opt out, so that the ad service won't waste time and impressions on them. (Ideally ads would be opt-in instead of opt-out, but who am I kidding?)

Advertisers still probably wouldn't go for this, since they do get some awareness benefit from showing ads even to people who will never click on them. And besides, the feature might also be used by people who hate ads but click on them anyway. (There must be some people like that.) Might as well stick with client-side ad removal.

Well, I'm operating under the assumption that since Yahooglesoft collectively employ some of the best minds in the world for the purpose of serving me ads, simply asking to not get them might not go over so well. I just figured 'rate this ad' would make a fun game to play when the ads made me laugh or shut the page of stuff like gmail. This post was prompted by a string of REALLY BAD "featured" ads while I was reading my LJ comment mail in gmail. Usually the ads are really funny and sarcastic in gmail so it was upsetting. :(