undefined | Better HN

0 pointslelandbatey3y ago0 comments

Linus is totally off his rocker though. His argument is that "he deserves to get paid for what he does, if you AdBlock he doesn't get paid, hence you are taking money from him if you AdBlock."

This idea though is totally wrong, and is some serious post-hoc BS after over a decade of this internet advertising business model becoming comfortable. Linus's business is GIVING AWAY content and hoping that advertisers (his real customers) will want to agree to pay him according to his terms. You can say things about TOS and EULA and how that is totally a legally and morally binding or whatever but that's moving the goalposts now that folks have found a way to exploit audiences for money after years of GIVING AWAY content for free.

I don't have to read each advertising flyer that comes with my pizza, even if the pizza store decides to give me 100 advertising flyers in exchange for making the pizza free, and no amount of EULAs will make it so. It's my computer, I can throw out the garbage you give me if I want.

0 comments

BLKNSLVR3y ago

That's an interesting point. He's paid by the advertisers therefore they're his direct customers whilst the viewing public are secondary, and therefore have far less responsibility to maintain the viability of his business plan.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointslelandbatey3y ago0 comments

Linus is totally off his rocker though. His argument is that "he deserves to get paid for what he does, if you AdBlock he doesn't get paid, hence you are taking money from him if you AdBlock."

0 comments

BLKNSLVR3y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse