The Bloodshedverse | Spuffy with Bite

How about link previews

Jan 16 2008 09:49 pm #1Diabola

Moderator

Most of you have probably seen those little boxes that you get when you hover over an external link on lj, right? That service is actually availible for everyone, and I've been wondering if it'd be interesting to add it to the forum part of the BSV. Would make it easier for you to decide whether you want to follow the link in question or not. (If you don't know what I mean, there is a picture of one of those boxes on the owners website.)

The bottom quarter of the box would contain an ad though, there simply is no paid account or anything that would allow for an ad-free version.

Can't quite decide whenther I want to add this or not. The preview-a-website option is nice, but I rather liked that we've managed to keep the BSV ad-free so far.

What do you think?

I'll think of something, I'm sure. ?

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Jan 16 2008 11:59 pm #2SpikesKatMac

I say stay ad-free; I love the fact that there are no annoying banners or pop ups on this site

A beautiful and ineffectual angel, beating in the void his luminous wings in vain - Matthew Arnold

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Jan 17 2008 12:25 am #3Eowyn315

Those little preview boxes on lj kind of annoy me. I say stay ad-free.

Writing should feel easy, like a monkey driving a speed boat.

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Jan 17 2008 12:28 am #4Guest

Guest

I have to agree. A tiny picture doesn't convince me to go to a site, especially when the color scheme is basically all I can make out. A little summary or a good name will peak my interest, but not the annoying tiny screens that pop up and block whatever else I'm trying to read.

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Jan 17 2008 12:40 am #5LindsayH

Ad free and proud, please. BSV is like a blessed quiet oasis in a sea of adverts.

"Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead!"--Giles, "Dead Man's Party'

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Jan 17 2008 12:42 am #6dawnofme

I'm not really a fan of the preview popups, but whatever you decide, it won't stop me from coming here.

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Jan 17 2008 12:52 am #7Diabola

Moderator

Hehe, ad-free is nice, isn't it?

I'm grateful for you opinions, and if it continues this way, I'll forget about the idea. I still think I should clear up two things.

1) The idea behind this feature is not to convince you to visit the site, at least not to me. It's a way to know which link not to click. A missing or bad description can quickly lead to someone filling their screen with NSFW pictures or websites, and since quite a few people visit this site from work, well...

2) There are two ways to integrate this feature. One is what LJ did, have the box show up every time you hover over the link (and yes, that annoys me too). But the other option is to have the link work and look like you're used to, and have the box only show up if you hover over the little blurb icon next to the link. If I were to add this feature, I'd definitely go with the second version.

Not trying to change your minds, seeing the comments just made me think I should explain the details a bit better. Anyway, I'll go with whatever this thread ends up telling me. :-)