Today in the annual 2008 post on hosting providers (http://drupal.org/node/205195) I noticed a new, jarring "paid affiliate" banner advertisement from SiteGround, irritatingly placed between the entry head and body.

I think there can be a place for advertising at drupal.org, but I was really shocked to see the placement of this ad, actually within the entry itself. That kind of placement is something I expect to see only on the most crass of commercial sites, and certainly not in an open source devel community site.

Regardless of how much we may like a potential advertiser, I think all advertising should be kept isolated from content, and preferably in a sidebar or other section of the site where it is clearly not content. I don't know how it got to where it is now, but here's my vote to move it.

Comments

keith.smith’s picture

You may wish to review and comment on this issue in the infrastructure queue.

--keith

femrich’s picture

Thanks. I have submitted some comments there...

sepeck’s picture

certainly not in an open source devel community site

I would like to point out that this commercial stuff is what is going to be helping pay for the infrastructure of this open source project. Please continue to work with the folks who are trying to get it right.

-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain

-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide

femrich’s picture

The rhetorical flourish (ahem, gag) that went into my original title on this thread was a reflection of my initial reaction to seeing an ad that I think doesn't reflect well on the site.

I'm not opposed to ads at drupal.org, just to ads that conflict with the spirit and purpose of the site. I'm trying now to work constructively at other threads to raise my concerns, and trying to do so without acting like there are any bad guys out there. As far as I have seen, there are not. For the record, I do appreciate the people who are trying to get it right.