Guy Who Created Pop Up Ads Says He Wasn't Trying To Annoy You And Apoloigize

A programmer is really, really, really sorry
for accidentally forcing popup ads on us.  

The guy who is largely responsible for those totally annoying pop up ads that interrupt EVERYTHING on line, even if you use things like Adblock, is really, really sorry for all this.

Ethan Zuckerman said he was tasked some years ago with finding way for advertisers to put some space between what they were trying to sell stuff on the web page that really wasn't a good match for what they were trying to peddle.

"Specifically, we came up with it when a major car company freaked out that they'd bought a banner ad on a page that celebrated anal sex," Zuckerman said in an article in The Atlantic. (I got this via Consumerist)

Of course, advertisers ran with this, knowing it would be totally intrusive. The theory, which I have yet to find a good explanation for, is if they really annoy and piss us off, we'll buy their product.

Searching all over the place, I have not found any logical explanation as to why I'd want to buy something from someone who angered me, and whether there are actually people out there who would buy things because the advertiser totallly got them steamed.

I guess it's wishful thinking on their part.  Sort of a stalker mentality. Some advertisers thing if they keep pursuing us, to the ends of the Earth, we'll see the error of our ways and fall in love with them.

Meanwhile, we're filing restraining orders. Too bad we can't file restraining orders against most of the people who produce the most awful ads.

But I suppose I'll forgive Zuckerman, since he really didn't intent to sow these awful Internet pop up weeds.

One more pop up ad, though, and I'll pop that advertiser in the face, just you wait.