this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2023
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[–] [email protected] 27 points 11 months ago (4 children)

There were less than 200 websites in 1993 when the first paid ad was introduced shortly thereafter. There were over 100k websites by the end of 1995.

So you're kind of right, but ads have been part of the Internet for 30 years. And half of the internet that we know today wouldn't have survived if this wasn't the case.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Half of he internet is shit, so - again - I personally would not lament its loss. My mom, who lives in games like Farmville these days, probably would, but she'd probably be healthier and happier if she took up knitting again.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

I concur. There's a sweet spot for ads where they are mostly tolerable. We haven't been in it for a long time though.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

FOR YEARS!

August 1991 the web was made available to CERN, 1993 was the year it truly became open to the public and ads were introduced the same year...

I mean, I guess they were technically right? But it's the same as the "cable didn't have ads" bullshit people keep saying...

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago

I think the difference was, they were just side banners and that's it. They didn't have all this insane tracking, data analysis, metrics, and knowing everything about you bullshit they do now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

So you're kind of right, but ads have been part of the Internet for 30 years.

And so have been adblockers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_blocking