Popup ads have to be the scourge of the internet. They interrupt our thinking, they break the flow of our actions, and, if we inadverently click on one, it wastes our time when we have to return to where we were. They steal our most valuable possessions: time and attention.

On a personal note, they also change my mood, and leave me with negative feelings about the original site I was on. Often, I won’t go back. But, I’m sure that’s nothing new.

I’ve even had the dern things popup occasionally while reading the Globe and Mail – under a paid subscription at that.

I sent the G&M a note and let them know how I felt one day. The response I got back was that they were sorry, but they have to generate revenue somehow. Guess my monthly fees don’t count in that equation. At least I know where I stand in the larger scheme of things.

Hmm..that reminds me. That G&M subscription is still active, and I haven’t been back for a couple of months. (note to self: cancel or give them one more chance)

Usually I make a mental note of the advertising company and how much they’ve pissed me off. That energy lasts for a while, but I probably forget about it over time. Perhaps there’s a better way.

Dan Gillmore has a short note about popup ads showing up in Firefox, and says:

“I’m going to create — and post — a list of the companies sponsoring these ads, and make a point of not shopping with them.”

Ya. A real list, not just a mental note. Writing things down tends to make them happen. Perhaps that’s a good reason for me to learn how to use del.icio.us , or to remember to tag some posts with ‘popup+spam’, or some other, more graphic term.

In the meantime I’ll start my list.