Karl Seguin

I get your point, but there's an ad for some sort of software training just to the left of the comment form as I type this.  The ads sure beat us having to pay for hosting.

As long as Google ads stops putting up CMMI consulting ads on my blog.

Jeremy

I hear ya...but there's a difference between a privately hosted site like this, and a Microsoft-owned site like www.asp.net.  (a) hosting costs for Microsoft should be peanutes compared to us and (b) it's the cost of doing business for Microsoft.

Blame telligent - they provide the managed service for asp.net, and it was their choice to try to monetize asp.net via adverts as they weren't making enough money to cover their time.

I don't know what agreements exist between MS and Telligent. That Microsoft doesn't see it as worthwhile to pay someone a reasonable price to manage the site ad-free is lame.

Running www.asp.net is just a cost of doing business. It's a support and marketing cost, and my guess is a relatively small one compared to how many Windows machines are bought to run websites and how much money is made off their development products. There's no good reason to compromise the integrity of the product. What next, VS.NET Express will be ad-supported?!

Whether Telligent charges too much, or Microsoft pays too little, kill the ads, k?

Make sure you don't consider the upside to having advertisements on asp.net.  The companies that pay for exposure on asp.net are reaching a large number of asp.net users.  Most of the same companies that run ads on asp.net also advertise in MSDN magazine.  Surely MS has enough money to not run ads in their magazine.  When a new product is released, a company can either bribe an editor to cover their product or by an ad on a website.

Aside from the ugly Google Ads, most of the ads on asp.net fit well with the site.  Maybe if they had the popup ads that cover the screen and wouldn't close when you wanted them to, I would support your grievance.

Bill, you don't think it's a little disingenous?  Almost like an endorsement. Most of the ads don't mark them as such anywhere...I realize that the audience should be fairly technical and be able to automatically block out ads....but still...

If it's really a matter of informing people...I'd like to know where that money goes...

I was definitely endorsing MS's behavior on this.  As far as MS endorsing a product, I don't consider it endorsement if MS runs an ad.  They do the same thing in their magazine, everyone does.  I don't think it is endorsement to take advertising revenue.  MS is saying, however, that company has a good reputation.

I've used the asp.net site and like all sites, I just learn where their ads are and avoid looking at them.

I'm sure the money goes to the people running the site; I hope MS isn't using slave labor for it.