On my community, we currently use no advertisements at all, relying exclusively on donations. However, although we're not seriously considering it at the moment, I've been exploring possible implementations of advertising to be included on our Eve pages.

One feature that I know was requested almost a year ago was the ability to set custom separate themes for premium subscribers -- so that one could, for example, allow paid subscribers to have an advertisement-free site, while still showing ads to everyone else. I don't know if that feature is going to be included with Eve 2.0, but I've come up with a possible workaround that I thought I'd toss out to see if it would work.

Basically, it would use Private Web Directories, which would be associated to the appropriate Thrive memberships. The admin would create a special CSS stylesheet that would hide the advertisements (probably just using the "display: none" property for the various elements) from the paid users. The link to this stylesheet would be included in the default HTML for every page, but because the stylesheet itself would be located inside a private web directory, only the appropriate premium subscribers would be able to access it.

The problem, as I see it, would be that this implementation would probably create a huge number of 403 errors in the Apache server log. This would be a huge drain on file space, and therefore I do not recommend anyone try this out without some input from the Infopop/Groupee folks. But at the very least, I wanted to toss this idea out for consideration, and to see if it could maybe be refined somehow to make it more workable. (Maybe some .htaccess hackery could tell Apache to not record any errors generated from the PWD in that script?)

That is a very interesting idea...

I am not sure how saturated that would make the apache logs, but my main concern would be that users could put custom CSS in their browser that would hide the advertisements manually basically bypassing the include file.

Very clever idea though... Color me impressed.

Well, I figure that a smart enough person will be able to come up with the appropriate CSS or ad-blocking routines anyway -- that's an operational hazard endemic to the entire web these days, simply because of the over-saturation of advertisements. And if it really became a problem, I'm not sure how enforceable it would be, but one could probably put a clause in the community TOS forbidding the use of ad-blocking software against the community pages (Ars Technica does this, for example, though I find that rule obnoxious).

The problem I foresee with the Apache logs, however, would be that potentially every single page view from a non-premium browser would/could create an associated 403 error that would be logged by the server. That would be a HUGE problem for the log management, I imagine!

THis is something my users have stressed they would like to see as well. The premium members would like to have an ad-free environment.

Hi -- how would it be if a person saw ads *once* a day and thereafter not?

If that's workable, I may have a way. As you know, a record of everyone's permissions is loaded at the end of every page via a javascript object ....

That could be an acceptable solution.

OK -- I have a snippet of code somewhere that sets a cookie based on your permission. This would mean once a login session, the user would see ads on one page -- a suitable reminder of what he/she is paying not to see on all subsequent pages.

Give me a few days to find it.

But what if we still want our premium members to see local ads pertaining to our site? We need a style set specially for our premium members.

Hi All

See the attached for some code to *hide* content like banners from premium members.

It's an unsupported script and does require you to work carefully with the instructions and know a little about javascript. You may need assistance from an exprienced webmaster.

Experiment FIRST on a hidden forum and with a test style before applaying this site wide.

hide_for_premium_js_widget.txt (5 Kb, 143 downloads) premium_js_widget instructions

OK, I am really happy since I will be using this... but I ran into some problems. I did everything like it said however, it shows the banner up top for guests, but once ANYONE logs in it doesn't show it. (Premium member or not)

http://hometalk.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=frm&s=8970080762&f=9090084823

There is the test forum I was doing it on. Help!

See next post

AH, nevermind, it still doesn't work... I tried it again with a premium account and it takes it away, then I cleared my cookies and logged in with a regular account and it still took them away HELP!

Hi - anyone on the planet as access to forum 9090084823 so things are working exactly as you have configured them.

premiumOid = '9090084823';

This isn't a premium forum at all.

Find a forum oid (the f=NNNNNNNNN) number that applies to a forum where only premum members can access. Then it will work.

Where is the forum that you are using for your 'premium' access permission?

Create it, hide it, then figure out the f=NNNNNNNNNN OID in the url to it. That will be your premium oid. value.

So are you saying that only premium memebers would then be able to access it? I want it so everyone can view the forum, but only non premium members see ads.

Or do you mean make it a premium only forum and then get the oid number, set it back to let everyone view it, and use the premium number?

Clear as mud right?

Sorry, I'm new at this

None of the above.

Print out the instructions and read them backwards and forwards -- again

a) Have you created a premium only forum? Do it if not. Don't worry if you never plan to use it for anything else.
b) What is the URL to that forum ? Paste it here.

If you get a and b done, it's child's place to get you the right OID.

You will be testing the code in a forum *OTHER* than the premium forum you created in step a)

I guess I'm confused on what you mean by a premium only forum. I have the tester forum and made it so only premium members can view content and subjects. I guess thats not right, huh?

If it helps any, you have an account at my site, and your at admin. status, if you want to login *wink* *wink*

OK - will do

OK - it's done.

Get the URL to your "tester forum"

Logout.

Go to that forum. Notice the fake banner.

Login as admin or as someone in your 'No Ads' group. Reload twice. Fake banner = gone

Here's what I did

a) Created a 'no ads' forum that only the 'no ads' group is allowed to view. I hid it.
b) Created a "01 No Ads Style test" style so that you can see the code without any extras.
c) Applied this new style to a 'tester forum' that otherwise has no other special permissions. Anyone can see it.

Here's the thing to understand:

Every eve page has a permission object loaded with it. All permissions are listed there.

This means that *any* page can test to see if you have access to the "No Ads" forum -- even when you aren't anywhere near that forum.

That test is what the code uses to decide whether to show you an ad or not.

The test works on any eve page because every eve page carries a snapshot of your permissions for the entire site.

Thanks a lot Michael! Thanks to you we now have our Google ads up and running and a reason to use premium memberships!

I could kiss you now, but that might be a little weird, so how about a virtual hand shake lol

Thanks again

Excellent news!! Let us know how this works out with your users too.