Something Snap.com this way comes

[foxfirefey]

Vox had this implemented earlier this month. (See also: Snap partners with Six Apart to bring Snap Shots to all of Vox.com bloggers.) WordPress.com has had it for a long while too. Now, it has reached LJ. Why?

A recent post to the Snap.com blog, Imagine Snap Shares, talks of future ads and revenue sharing with sites that implement their Snap

Comments

[matgb]

No. no no no no no.

Snap, on LJ? Yes, you can turn the damn things off, but it's a cookie, which means you have to turn them off every damn time. which means if I'm on another machine or on a public terminal I'll want to scream every time they switch on.

Snap are such a bad idea, awful usability, bandwidth sucking, pointless gimmickry that idiots think is cool.

Working, brain not worky, will dig links up and write a proper response this evening. Gah!!!!

[foxfirefey]

I hate Snap.com stuff, too. The post on Snap Share so close on the heels of the partnership and implementation on 6A sites leaves a bit of an unpleasant aftertaste--that is, the feature feels like it was implemented mostly for its future potential ad revenue generating capacity rather than its actual merit.

Yuck.

[speck]

By the way, you were right about rejecting my entry. I don't know what my brain was thinking. Basic != ads

Re: Yuck.

[speck]

think if I block lj-toys I won't see embedded flash, right?

I won't see you tube, that embedded flash ...

Re: Yuck.

[foxfirefey]

Actually, if I remember correctly serving up all embedded content involves lj-toys.com for safety reasons. They're served in iframes to keep them from being served from LJ itself, which I think would entail security concerns.

It doesn't appear that blocking lj-toys JS turns embedded stuff off, but I'd imagine blocking the domain entirely might.

[janinedog]

New users, however, have it enabled by default

New paid users will have it disabled by default (so it'll be opt-in for them). Only new Plus or Basic accounts will have it enabled by default (opt-out).

Also, I'm pretty sure you know this, but your entry wasn't clear...you can opt-out entirely -for your journal- with just the journal setting (no cookie). The cookie is for making it go away on other people's journals when they have the option turned on.

[matgb]

Which means that people that don't know better will have the obnoxious things on.

Obviously, not your personal call, but I dislike Snap and the anti-intuitive bad usability bandwidth sucking product across the board, and was incredibly annoyed with Wordpress.com when they turned it on there.

The least well informed users will have it on, and others will try it, some will even like it, which means those of us that switch PCs a lot, clear cookies regularly (public terminals and shared work laptops, etc) will constantly have to reset a preference.

If someone turns it on for their journal, will style=mine turn it off? And where's the best place to drop feedback comments in a "get this off our site it's really bad overall for everyone" style?

*spray keyboard and mouse*

[speck]

And where's the best place to drop feedback comments in a "get this off our site it's really bad overall for everyone" style?

Oh, thank you for the giggle. I needed that.

Re: *spray keyboard and mouse*

[matgb]

Don't know if you've ever encountered Lorelle on Wordpress, but she's one of those I either agree with or can't stand, but on this I really can't disagree with her:
http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/12/29/wordpresscom-please-stop-using-snap-preview/

Her points about the visually impaired, etc are incredibly important. I'll dig some more critiques when I've time, that was the one I knew I could find on a 5 second google

[tavalya_ra]

I really wish I could find a definite example to cite about Snap.com using spyware (unless you mean the tracking cookie), but I find this intrusive and questionable enough that I followed the instructions to block it with AdBlock Plus (which is love, pure love- thank you, Gods of Firefox!).

[foxfirefey]

I don't think I've heard of Snap.com being associated with spyware and I didn't make any spyware assertions above, although as soon as they start serving flash ads I guess it's a possibility like it was here on LJ depending on the reliability of their ad screening.

[tavalya_ra]

Sorry- I know you didn't make any claim about spyware, but other people have. I should have been clearer on that point, that it's a rumor I heard elsewhere.

[foxfirefey]

Phew, I got all confused when you went "you mean the tracking cookie". I know I've seen the assertion here.

Cookie set by snap.com upon loading a page using them:

user:id%3D068de75845808e94db5ad22789e3622b%26origin%3Dshots

After mousing over a popup, two others added:

PHPSESSID:4c7b003866254ff52be1c33b99b60f0f from shots.snap.com
spa:spauser%3D1%26spadomain%3Dpub-5821628-www.livejournal.com from .snap.com

After opting out, one changes:

spa:spauser%3D1%26spadomain%3Dpub-5821628-www.livejournal.com%26nospa%3D1

[tallblue]

According to snape itself, they are making sure readers view ads.

When people read websites, this is about all they see. No wonder they miss your advertising.

When users trigger our content they trigger your ads.

Vox is crammed up enough, I am disappointed that this is going to happen here.

One question though, if I have it disabled for my journal and I happen to read another journal who has it enabled am I going to be tripping the link that shows me ads?

[tallblue]

Might I adjust my question.

If I am viewing my friend's page and they have this enabled, do I then see these pop-up ads? I don't care what anyone else calls them, I see them as ads.

[foxfirefey]

If they have it enabled and you haven't had them set the opt out cookie (or blocked their JS) and you mouse over a link, yes, you will see them.

[tallblue]

So If I opt out of this I will not see their snap preview on my friends page? Sorry I am slow today :(