I love how the quote cuts off right before "only goal".

Very much Lies of P.

True, that is a thing to consider. I have to use an iPhone because I get it through my place of employment, and if I had a nickel for every time the actual OS postponed an automatic update because I wasn't connected to power / I seemed busy / the stars just weren't aligned properly, I would probably have over a dollar.

In that respect, I like my desktop (Debian) so much better: I can set it to update the OS automatically, which includes all installed software (as long as it's installed through the official repository), and it will let me know if something failed to upgrade, so I can do it by hand. Also, they rock at getting critical security updates out in a timely manner. I'm not sure how much I trust Apple with that.

Using the default browser on an iOS device should be fairly safe, assuming that you accept all security updates as they become available. Outdated browsers, on the other hand, are a major security risk.

For legitimate free movie sites (Plex, etc.), ads are indeed the main source of income, along with paid services like the ability to rent current movies. If you are smart about it, they may not collect too much of your personal information.

For the rest, the business model relies on pop-up based scams, hijacking machines for botnets, and ransomware.

I've been on the web since my college installed Mosaic on their HP-UX machines. I wanna say summer of '94. Thus, I can honestly say that I've seen it before the first commercial banner ad was sold later that year. I actually thought ad were worse in the early 2000's than they are now. Flash should never have been used for that, for example. My main problem with ads these days is that there are sites where the signal/noise ratio is just ridiculously bad. In those cases, I vote with my feet and stay away.

You keep using that word phrase, I do not think it means what you think it means.

Well, now you have. I also tailgate or pass annoyingly slowly to be able to read bumper stickers.

You use a service but deny it the remuneration it expects. If that does not meet your definition of theft, do you also think turnstile jumping is fair play?

It would be boot licking if Big Advertising or Big Content actually cared about my opinion. I have no illusion that they do.

Ever hear of "Can't read half a sentence without

I have (no kidding) taken u-turns to see an interesting billboard. Anyway, the analogy is flawed: You still see the billboard, even if you don't read all of it - just like I see the ad, but may not really read it.

I produce no content, ad supported or otherwise. I've been on the WWW pretty much since day 1, so I know that ads have gotten worse. Still, if I decide to use a site, I use it according to how the owners want it to be used, or not at all. To me, that's respect, I fully understand that I am in the minority - which is why I didn't post this in the PopularOpinions sublemmy.

Someone gets it :) You may downvote me.

Definitely up :)

I was working with a different definition of 'look at'. When reading a magazine (according to my definition), you will look at the ad, because you never know whether a given page will contain an ad or editorial content. Your eyes will fall upon the ad, and then you move on, likely not really taking it in unless it manages to catch your eye. Same with me and web ads. Most will barely register, as the majority is really not that interesting - but sometimes, I will take a closer look, and very occasionally even click on one.

Little bit of column A, little bit of column B. There are sites I appreciate which don't allow you to pay to disable ads - so I sometimes take a look at one or two.There are others where the ads get annoying, so I stay away, or leave when I've had enough of 35 animations slowing down my web browser.

I have yet to see an ad that managed compromise the safety of my computer (knocks on wood). I am aware that this has happened, but I would be really cross with BitDefender if it happened to me.

Makes you wonder how many ancient relics with great cultural / religious significance were actually just action figures...

Second unplugging all optional components (RAM is not optional) - and the video card in particular. A card that pulls more power than your power supply can provide could do exactly what you are seeing.

POST codes are beeps. None of those at all?

Yep. Actions speak (even) louder than words, and his track record on leaving office without a tantrum is... not great.

What do you care? You are dead.

In general, everything will stick around as long as you paid for it. Your email account and your web site will probably be unceremoniously deleted once the money runs out, and the domain name itself will be freed up. While you use your domain to point to your web site and your email account, they won't be associated forever: Once they expire, the name is available for someone else to fill it with new content, not to get access to your existing content.

Oooooor: You could bequeath all your online assets to a family member in your will (don't forget to give them all relevant passwords), possibly along with some money to keep paying for the domain registration, email- and web hosting.