Ad-Free Week :: Final Fantasy XI :: ZAM

Ad-Free WeekJul 11th, 2005 at 7:43 PM by Allakhazam

Welcome to our Ad-Free Week! For the rest of this week, everyone will browse the site like a premium member -- free of banner, tower and popup ads. Because ad banners pull from the advertisers' servers and not ours, the ads often cause the site to seem slower than it actually is. So for this week only everyone can experience the site like a premium member experiences it -- Ad Free. Try it out for a while and then ask yourself if you want to keep browsing the site this way. If so, for just a few dollars each month you can get not only ad-free browsing but a lot of other exciting features as well. To see all that our premium service offers, check out this link.

Tags: GeneralNews, News

Comments

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Don't use this firefox tweak.

# Jul 14 2005 at 8:06 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1591766305110

9 posts

Whatever you do, do NOT set this.

Set â€œnetwork.http.pipelining.maxrequestsâ€ to some number like 30. This means it will make 30 requests at once.

Allakhazam runs on Apache. The way apache works is it spawns child process' to respond to requests from a web browser. If your making 6 simultanious requests, your talking to 6 process' on the server. The higher you set this, the more load you put on the server. This is a bad thing. By default I'm sure they're spawning a large number of process, and one or two people using this setting won't cause too much havoc, but if alot of people turn it on, you'll really bog down the server.

Thank you for your time.

...

# Jul 14 2005 at 12:55 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1599437909365

Scholar

1,257 posts

double-post...

Edited, Thu Jul 14 13:56:22 2005

Ummm...

# Jul 14 2005 at 12:18 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1599437909365

Scholar

1,257 posts

The site's not going any faster this week than usual for me.

Filter Cleansing

# Jul 14 2005 at 9:47 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1592265615586

Sage

1,885 posts

You should be careful of your filter setting. By using "Default" you will not see all the posts.

A previous post of mine was down-rated in 2 days to 1.32, thereby kicking it under the Dafault filter and not viewable.

You can of course change that filter setting at the top of this forum, and make them all viewable.

I don't care about rate score, but I do care about shady practices.

I really hope Admins are not flood-rating non-favorable posts to make them "unviewable'. Oh, that's right...it's everyone else.

I wonder why only the adverse topics are down-rated...

RE: Filter Cleansing

# Jul 14 2005 at 9:51 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1591778271019

View User Forum

337 posts

LoL, every time I post, I watch my default rating head towards the floor.
And I see some with scholar and other titles posting rubish.
I have often wondered who spams their numbers up, whild knocking factual information down.
Guessing if your opinion does not match the board runners, you get knocked down quick.

Subscriber

# Jul 13 2005 at 5:29 PM Rating: Good

__DEL__1591778271019

View User Forum

337 posts

As a subscriber, loads of information has been opened up to me on this site.
The:
spell database
tradeskill lists and recipes.
The search engine(although I wish they would open up the opportunity to do named search in lieu of having to do a regular search first.)<hint>
Quest information is often beyond compare.
A good value in my humble opinion.
This and Magello of course.

For all the right reasons...

# Jul 13 2005 at 12:09 PM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1591792794197

14 posts

To be quite honest, I was so used to pop-ups on almost every site these days that closing them has become as unconscious of an activity as telling a druid to snare. /duck

But, being a premium member the few dollars a month pays for an ungodly amount of features. And if you're a tradeskiller like myself, its very much worth every dime. Sure, the information is all there anyway ( ya just gotta look deeper ),the functionality of the premium site is far superior.

The Item Search, Equipment Search, Uploading your Profiles, the actual Profile Equipment Tools, everything is well worth it. These people work everyday to help us go thru the world of EverQuest and make our way more enjoyable. Its for these people that I support their site. Don't think that by giving everyone a week free of popups that they're trying to "sucker" you into signing up... because that makes it sound like a scam, and Allakhazam.com is far from it.

Renew

# Jul 13 2005 at 11:14 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1591777846330

124 posts

I used to be a premium member. I Liked the avail extra options and the add free service. Speed is not really an issue and my pop up blockers do just fine, but it was nice anyway.

However, when it was time to renew I see that I have to subscribe to a mag I don't want. And yes you can get a refund but I don't lke that concept. Here take my monies for a bit and give it back... whenever.

If it wasn't for that issue I'd renew.

RE: Renew

# Jul 13 2005 at 8:44 PM Rating: Excellent

View User Forum

The man who started it all!

1,635 posts

The magazine subscription was added to the premium package at no extra cost. We did not raise the membership cost when we added the subscription. I did it because it seemed a no brainer to give our premium members what amounts to a $20 subscription to a good gaming magazine for nothing.

____________________________

[wowsig]1855[/wowsig]

RE: Renew

# Jul 14 2005 at 9:51 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1591777846330

124 posts

Then why is this info stated?...

"Regarding Computer Gaming World Subscription: Included in your premium membership is a 12-issue subscription to Computer Gaming World - a $8.00 value. Your name, mailing address and email address will be provided to Computer Gaming World for the purposes of fulfilling your magazine subscription. Issues will be mailed to the same address you use in registration. Expect your first issue in 2-3 months. If you choose not to receive the included magazine subscription you may request a refund of the subscription value. To request a refund, you must send a copy of your membership order confirmation e-mail and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Computer Gaming World, 28 E. 28th St, New York, NY, 10016, ATTN: Allakhazan/CGW Subscription Offer. :

RE: Renew

# Jul 14 2005 at 12:45 PM Rating: Excellent

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The man who started it all!

1,635 posts

The refund comes from CGW. Since it is linked to a payment and a refund is available, they can claim the subscriber as a paid subscriber for ad sales purposes. It's why they are willing to give away subscriptions. Just check the price we announced in 2001 when we launched the premium (https://everquest.allakhazam.com/archives/Update_0901.html ) against the current price - no change.

____________________________

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RE: Renew

# Jul 14 2005 at 7:11 PM Rating: Default

__DEL__1591777846330

124 posts

Guess what? You're right, lol.

The 1st signup page has no prices listed. I wanted to check the link about the magazine and was thinking the $8 was added to the cost. Not sure if you could add something to make it more clear but maybe I'm the only one who took it wrong.

Thanks for clearing that up ;-)

RE: Renew

# Jul 13 2005 at 5:18 PM Rating: Default

__DEL__1591778271019

View User Forum

337 posts

I have renewed a few times and never been coerced in to subscribing to any magazine?

You sure it was this site? and not ezboards?

RE: Renew

# Jul 13 2005 at 3:20 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592337042582

58 posts

I never had to subscribe to a magazine when I renewed.....strange.

RE: Renew

# Jul 13 2005 at 5:05 PM Rating: Default

__DEL__1591777846330

124 posts

Never actualloy renewed of course but from the signup pages...

Regarding Computer Gaming World Subscription: Included in your premium membership is a 12-issue subscription to Computer Gaming World - a $8.00 value. Your name, mailing address and email address will be provided to Computer Gaming World for the purposes of fulfilling your magazine subscription. Issues will be mailed to the same address you use in registration. Expect your first issue in 2-3 months. If you choose not to receive the included magazine subscription you may request a refund of the subscription value. To request a refund, you must send a copy of your membership order confirmation e-mail and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Computer Gaming World, 28 E. 28th St, New York, NY, 10016, ATTN: Allakhazan/CGW Subscription Offer.

Membership

# Jul 13 2005 at 6:28 AM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1591827913452

View User Forum

Scholar

18 posts

The adds and speed had nothign to do with me getting my membership. I got my membership partially for the ability to maintain character info and partly out of loyalty (I have used this site since I got into this game years ago....I even visited the site occasionally on my 3-4 year hiatus from the game). The ability to import your char info, then search for better weapons and armor was enough for me....but then all the extras really added icing. I am constanyly using the item and quest advanced search...now I couldn't play without it. I think it is well worth the low amount you pay for great services and info....and I was wondering where that subscription to Computer Gaming World came from, lol.

we all should pay!

# Jul 13 2005 at 1:23 AM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1591813271286

Scholar

103 posts

After viewing the site more and more I think knowledge that is free is nice, but not well earned. These people have spent time puting this up for you and all, so bravo to all the people who do subscibe and support the gang who keeps this site going!

/cheer

Come next paycheck I think I will start to support this site as well!

hmm

# Jul 12 2005 at 8:37 PM Rating: Good

__DEL__1592265941210

630 posts

though i am cheap and use pop up blockers i might be tempted to subscribe a few times just to support the site since i use it almost exclusivelly. who knows, i might like the whole add free thing... i still have trouble with posting, i never load the next page..probably due to my popup blocker :(

Well...

# Jul 12 2005 at 6:25 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592263830615

22 posts

I appreciate this week of ad free you have given me.

Firefox

# Jul 12 2005 at 4:55 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592268120055

Sage

129 posts

Well, if you really want to speed up Allakhazam and use Firefox check out this site and follow the tweaks there. Makes a HUGE difference.

http://www.hackaday.com/entry/1234000803024910/

I think everyone should subscribe

# Jul 12 2005 at 4:43 PM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1591796065833

Scholar

1,156 posts

I'm a paid subscriber, I can't tell you how much I value the no-ad version.

Other benefits that are neat:

The searching of content is much easier, forums, items, advanced search! woot!

The ability to post an avatar! I love my lil dead taru avatar.

hmmm

# Jul 12 2005 at 2:58 PM Rating: Good

__DEL__1592262721359

Scholar

1,447 posts

Sorry, ads or no ads, I still visit this site. The ads never bothered me anyways. I did what I thought best...ignored them and moved on to what I was looking for.

ads

# Jul 12 2005 at 1:38 PM Rating: Good

__DEL__1593966480705

Scholar

30 posts

It's nice having the ads gone because the page loads faster. However, I do not plan on subscribing for premium because I use mozilla firefox which blocks all popups and I use the adblock extension that allows me to block banners and other media on webpages. So I don't have to view the ads, but I still have to tolerate the page not loading properly or slowing because of the crappy ad servers.

edit for a spelling mistake

Edited, Tue Jul 12 14:38:24 2005

One way to look at it

# Jul 12 2005 at 1:21 PM Rating: Excellent

Sage

4,281 posts

A premium membership is a lot like a donation to public radio/television. You help keep an incredibly useful resource going.

Do I think the cost is a good value? No, not particularly. I don't plan on buying any new games (to use the discounts), nor do I use the search function frequently. I like that there are no gil-selling ads here, unlike virtually every other FFXI website out there.

For me it's worth it. Others will complain that a free site isn't running at 100% efficiency at all times.

____________________________

Philemon on Valefor
Gjallarhorn 4/17/08
Daurdabla 5/9/11
Carnwenhan 5/4/12
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RE: One way to look at it

# Jul 14 2005 at 2:16 PM Rating: Good

View User Forum

Anonymous

There is links to gil selling sites in the banners and sidebars if you look for them hard enough you will discover them cannotlinkto ect granted other sites use them more frequently but alla just has a larger pool of ads to spam you with. vonage military.com military.com military.com ect.

O_o;

# Jul 12 2005 at 12:17 PM Rating: Default

Prettier Than You

12,975 posts

Haha, it's like they're going to show us what it's like if we pay for it. Thus, when this week ends, they're hoping we will become premium members. It's their way of kissing our asses into buying from them.

But as fast as the site is moving now...I might become a premium member...This is so much better. Not to mention, the ability to search fourms is going to be awesome. {/sigh} I'm going to fal for this. Oh well, it's worth falling for.

Damn devlish typos.

Edited, Tue Jul 12 13:18:42 2005

____________________________

Did you lose faith?
Yes, I lost faith in the powers that be.
But in doing so I came across the will to disagree.
And I gave up. Yes, I gave up, and then I gave in.
But I take responsibility for every single sin. â™ª â™«

Thank god I stopped playing MMOs.

RE: O_o;

# Jul 12 2005 at 1:06 PM Rating: Default

__DEL__1617582187621

Sage

5,645 posts

Quote:

Not to mention, the ability to search fourms is going to be awesome.

The forum search not functioning for well over 50% of my membership period was one of the main reasons i chose not to renew. Supposedly it is working now but ...

Lol rating me down doesnt make what i said any less true. :)

Edited, Fri Jul 15 13:58:35 2005

ads are fine

# Jul 12 2005 at 11:57 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1617582187621

Sage

5,645 posts

Ad's are a great way to keep a site free.

But when the ad itself actually degrades your site's performance it is time to look for another vendor.

I browse websites all the time that have banner/popup ad's and none of them load as slowly as here.

I cancelled my premium a while ago and have no plans to renew. Google's toolbar does a fine job of blocking most popups and hosts file edits get the rest. For the others i just reload 5 times and it eventually loads correctly.

All they would have to do is move the ad loading sections of code to the bottom of the page. Flush the output once before it gets to that section and thats it.

Or use google's ad service. Sites like slashdot, which i am sure get more hits than here, use it and i have yet to see a slowdown there.

So many solutions, yet the one chosen is make people pay. again i am not saying ad's are bad, i am saying there is just a poor implementation of them here.

No brainer

# Jul 12 2005 at 9:24 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1593363444213

Scholar

269 posts

Well, you get what you pay for.

#REDACTED, Posted: Jul 12 2005 at 12:30 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) True, that's why I do all my database business at OGaming.

What kind of service...

# Jul 12 2005 at 8:47 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1592265615586

Sage

1,885 posts

...gives you a poor product that is free, and you must pay for the normal product?

So the plan must be, make the ads so annoying, that we must pay to have a normal service.

But how else would Ala make money from otherwise tightwad browsers?

right...

# Jul 12 2005 at 3:20 AM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1592261248137

Scholar

332 posts

Adblock for Firefox, what a blessing. That and some tampering with hosts file makes Alla run smooth anyway.

Now, for something i might be interested in paying for, and XML frontend to the database, so I can develop my own services.

very annoying flash ads...

# Jul 12 2005 at 3:08 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1593966767489

Scholar

164 posts

One comment about the ads: Usually, I have nothing against some ads on a website to keep it free. But there are some ads that are actually quite annoying like that Jamba! flash ads with SOUND.

I really can't stand websites that use flash with sound, but worse: We got that stupid Jamba! commercials on TV all the time, sometimes the same jingle three times in a row. Hearing the SAME jingle again on your website finally led to the installation of AdBlock, very probably reducing your income (maybe I should fine tune that one, so the ad company actually thinks that the ad was displayed ;-).

Suggestion: Go for something less intrusive, e.g. no pop-ups, no flash or java, no sound. IMO, a simple standard banner is acceptable, as well as a Google AdWord box somewhere on the page.

I've been like this forever :)

# Jul 12 2005 at 2:19 AM Rating: Good

__DEL__1591804676182

1,064 posts

Wow, i didn't know my pop up blocker and firewall were saving me money =D

hmm

# Jul 12 2005 at 12:47 AM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592265941210

630 posts

well, i browse the site ad free(sort of) but still at the darned slow speed. hehe zone alarms does wonders.

speaking of ads, do you guys support gil sellers, i see some gil selling links on ur ads O.o

Edited, Tue Jul 12 01:52:54 2005

RE: hmm

# Jul 12 2005 at 2:05 AM Rating: Excellent

View User Forum

Mistress of Gardening

14,661 posts

Anytime you see a gil selling ad, please e-mail Allakhazam about it and he will have it removed.

____________________________

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RE: hmm

# Jul 12 2005 at 5:24 AM Rating: Excellent

__DEL__1591812621589

Scholar

131 posts

It's good to know your stance on gil selling/buying. I am firmly against it myself. Yet another reason I prefer this site.

fuck

# Jul 12 2005 at 12:15 AM Rating: Default

__DEL__1591841518423

1,542 posts

thank ****** god, the **** is slow.. its annoying.. and I just love when im in a rush to go to work and i gotta deal with ****** this and that popup all over...

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