Logos 4 advertising is intrusive
I expect advertising if I download and use the 'free version' of many software titles. Usually such advertising stops when the user purchases the 'non free version'. I have put a lot of money into Logos since I first used Libronix; a Christmas gift from my wife, in 1995 or thereabouts. Therefore I feel cheated when I notice over these last few months more and more of the 'Home' page devoted to ads.
This morning the entire page was ads except the picture from "The Earthly Footsteps of the Man of Galilee". I thought this particular picture notable since it is "The Pillars of Samaria" - it seems to be poetic justice for a company which has left off being a publisher of top quality Christian books and become a shameless purveyor of ads to its' paying customers.
See the screen clip below...
Comments
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Larry,
The good news is that this is entirely changeable by you. :-)
Check out the home page and look at the customize button in the lower left corner:
If you go through and turn off various items you will be able to remove the advertising.
Now, the purpose of the advertising is two-fold. (1) to make money - yeah. (2) to let you know what else is available if you're interested in growing your library.
But go ahead and turn it off and be bothered no more!
Peace,
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
I should have mentioned a few suggestions.
If you want to get rid of advertising, turn off the Logos prepubs, community pricing for sure.
Perhaps Logos news and maybe the blog - but specifically with the Blog you're likely to miss some training articles too.
Experiment.
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
Thomas,
How did you get things under your "Features" like "Memorize 1 Timothy"?
Armin
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Thomas Black said:
If you want to get rid of advertising, turn off the Logos prepubs, community pricing for sure.
Plus unchecking "My Logos Messages" removes a lot of advertising on Home Page for this time of year.
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Armin said:
How did you get things under your "Features" like "Memorize 1 Timothy"?
Could be a Prayer List or a Reading Plan.
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Thanks Thomas. I turned everything off but Devotionals, Excerpts, and Updated resources (which I presume is the entry which shows me Logos has updated such and such...). Toggling the blog - which I am aware has very useful training items - today turns on and off the blog AND the ad for the 12 days of Logos (which I particularly find distasteful because of it's apparent comparison to Logos and our Lord's birth). If you click on the ad you get a different blog than if you click on the other blog (the one that seems useful).
So while you are correct that I can turn things on and off, you are not correct that I am in control. Someone in the marketing department has hijacked the control you said I have. I have had occasion to see a couple other Bible study programs recently. They have no advertising. I don't know much more about their efficacy either, but the purpose of advertising is to arouse covetousness in the audience.
Perhaps there should be one simple pertinent selection in the Customize section: Shameless advertising.
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Larry Weldon said:
Perhaps there should be one simple pertinent selection in the Customize section: Shameless advertising.
Observation: sometimes shameless advertising is free resources. Thankful for addition of 26 Vyrso books to my Logos library for $ 0.00 within past month: several worthwhile additions.
Personally prefer sorting Vyrso resources by lowest price, which have not been purchased:
http://vyrso.com/products/search?q=&unlocked=no&start=&sort=pricelo&pageSize=60
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Armin said:
Thomas,
How did you get things under your "Features" like "Memorize 1 Timothy"?
Armin
Armin, that was/is a reading list for the Bible set to 1 verse every couple days. I completed that project several moons ago now. It was awesome.
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
Actually it's the same blog, but different posts. One is instructional and the other is strictly advertising.Larry Weldon said:Toggling the blog - which I am aware has very useful training items - today turns on and off the blog AND the ad for the 12 days of Logos (which I particularly find distasteful because of it's apparent comparison to Logos and our Lord's birth). If you click on the ad you get a different blog than if you click on the other blog (the one that seems useful).
The Blog is an extension of Logos' marketing - which as a company they must do. Being a former marketing major I'm probably more sympathetic to those kinds of things. [:)]
Larry Weldon said:the purpose of advertising is to arouse covetousness in the audience.
While I see your point of view clearly. I would say that's more a reaction than a goal. But then again, as I've stated my history in Marketing makes me sympathetic. Another way to look at marketing within the L4 program is that it gives bibliophiles like myself a one stop shop to see if Logos has anything new I'm interested in. And since I don't generally spend much time on the home page myself I rarely notice it until I'm looking for it.
Judging from your thoughts here, I think you'll be better served by simply turning off the blog on the home page - since at least 50% of the posts on the blog are geared towards letting you know what Logos is offering (advertising).
However, you might want to make a point of looking at Monday's blog posts at http://blog.logos.com Mo Proctor typically takes Monday to offer some key instruction.
[;)]Larry Weldon said:Perhaps there should be one simple pertinent selection in the Customize section: Shameless advertising.
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
I personally view the issue as simple courtesy.
Early on they refused to allow a choice 'no uploading of personal additions' saying you could just not buy any books (leave internet off). That made real sense.
Now there's popups etc and the answer (realistically) is don't go near the homepage (again making real sense; not referring to Thomas).
Then we find google's getting data from the app plus tracking cookies are expanded on Logos.com.
I think Larry is correct.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Even my site has tracking cookies - they're built into most (all?) CMS software for myriad reasons from tracking login's even to targeted marketing.Denise Barnhart said:... plus tracking cookies are expanded on Logos.com.
Incidentally the tracking cookies on my site are log-in only. :-)
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
Slightly off-topic, but since the conversation has veered this way...
Check out http://www.ghostery.com/ if you want to have a better understanding of how sites are attempting to track you. I use opendns.com as my DNS provider and have blacklisted sites like *.doubleclick.net to minimize some of this problematic site behavior.
Donnie
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Donnie, thanks for the ghostery link.
installed.
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
Thanks, Donnie! You learn a lot on this forum.
Thomas .. in-site cookies are almost unavoidable when you're doing pages. It's the cross-site ones, where you need people like Donnie on your team.
The fact we're discussuing how to stop Logos is commentary enough, I'd think.
And again, using Bob's proverbial coffee table, stuffing adverts into all your guests' purses or coat pockets would be viewed as tacky. And so, here.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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I'm trying to think about this issue in the way I'd judge other businesses, not just Logos. Generally there's opt-out / unsubscribe for all that kind of stuff.
Here's a suggestion: If we wouldn't get notified about it via email due to our profile preferences, we shouldn't get it within the app.
Donnie0 -
Donnie Hale said:
I'm trying to think about this issue in the way I'd judge other businesses, not just Logos. Generally there's opt-out / unsubscribe for all that kind of stuff.
Here's a suggestion: If we wouldn't get notified about it via email due to our profile preferences, we shouldn't get it within the app.
DonnieDoesn't the option to not show ads on the homepage (according to the above instructions) resemble an "opt-out" model?
Pastor, seminary trustee, and app developer. Check out my latest app for churches: The Church App
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Thomas Black said:
Armin, that was/is a reading list for the Bible set to 1 verse every couple days. I completed that project several moons ago now. It was awesome.
I've never really used the reading lists, but if I can post excerpts from one on my homepage, I'd be interested. How do you add a particular reading list to the "features" section of the homepage?
Pastor, seminary trustee, and app developer. Check out my latest app for churches: The Church App
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Rev Chris said:
I've never really used the reading lists, but if I can post excerpts from one on my homepage, I'd be interested. How do you add a particular reading list to the "features" section of the homepage?
Creating a reading plan automatically adds to Home Page features list so can drag and drop to rearrange order and visibility on Home Page ribbon bar.
Keep Smiling [:)]
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Creating a reading plan automatically adds to Home Page features list so can drag and drop to rearrange order and visibility on Home Page ribbon bar.
Keep Smiling
Ah ... it's a reading "plan" not reading "list"!
I still would really like the option of choosing a book and having excerpts show up in the 'content' part of the homepage. I like the random excerpts from random books, but I'd much prefer having control over that!
Pastor, seminary trustee, and app developer. Check out my latest app for churches: The Church App
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Yep! I find the pop-up to be distracting when I start my software and frankly I don't care for it. I checked my home page and I saw 2 pages amounting to 1 1/2 pages of content on the home page which has become (it seems to me) to be more and more advertizing since I began with this software which I do love. I must mention my screen size is a 23 inch monitor which supports hi-def (PC).
So I turned off the Logos Blog and My Messages and along with what was already not ticked, the home page was reduced to only 1/2 page of content...and I do have the devotionals ticked.
I would prefer to just go online to logos.com to see what is new in the various areas.
My 2 cents.
Merry Christmas to all!
E.
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That may be indicative of the fact that Logos has been bringing more and more products into the Community pricing and prepub streams at an ever increasing pace. Turning off those aspects of the home page will hide those items as you noted.Ergatees said:... which has become (it seems to me) to be more and more advertizing since I began with this software...
When I first started with Logos, there were a few thousands of books available. Today I believe the number is inching towards 20,000; and many of those are/have worked their way through prepub.
A final tip for a number of folks that might read this: Several of us use the customize button to turn OFF the home page altogether. I'd rather load to a blank screen myself.
Sarcasm is my love language. Obviously I love you. 0 -
Thomas Black said:
A final tip for a number of folks that might read this: Several of us use the customize button to turn OFF the home page altogether. I'd rather load to a blank screen myself.
I like the homepage - the random pictures are colorful and shiny! [:D]
Pastor, seminary trustee, and app developer. Check out my latest app for churches: The Church App
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Someone mentioned that there's lots of free stuff which comes from the blog - the ad notices also come to my email where they should come. Rev Chris just noted that he likes the home page - so do I. I haven't yet a clue where I would get the time required to get all the windows arranged as they are if I just click the daily reading. That's just too good to lose - unless you're a real expert.
I got the Perseus stuff recently but I used the email notice for it, not the home page. I also think it's been a while since Bro. Proctor had a lesson in the blog that came through email. And that ridiculous 12 days of Logos just came through the email. I can't turn that off without turning off Bro. Morris - and that would be like shooting off my foot.
Oh well. It seems no one really noticed the remark by ergatees about turning off the ads made the home page go from 6 pages to 2. That happened to me, too. The point still remains that when I look at my email I have Logos mail going to a specific folder where I want to see what's new. When I click the Logos link on my PC or Android I want to study the Bible, not the 12 days of Logos or some marketing major's idea of what I like. (Yourself excepted - sorry).
Well, Merry Christmas.
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Larry Weldon said:
Someone mentioned that there's lots of free stuff which comes from the blog - the ad notices also come to my email where they should come. Rev Chris just noted that he likes the home page - so do I.
Also open Logos 4 to Home Page so posted suggestion => Suggestion: Home Page Blog customization option since would likewise appreciate a Home Page without marketing or advertising (being content with what is in my Library; do check email and Logos web pages along with reading forum).
By the way, have been adding items to my wish list on Logos.com (pondering and praying about purchases).
Keep Smiling [:)]
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By the way, have been adding items to my wish list on Logos.com (pondering and praying about purchases).
Keep Smiling
Are you hoping we take a look at your wish-list and buy some things for you? [:P]
Pastor, seminary trustee, and app developer. Check out my latest app for churches: The Church App
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Donnie Hale said:
Check out http://www.ghostery.com/ if you want to have a better understanding of how sites are attempting to track you.
Thanks, Donnie. This sounds cool. I like that you can control which companies can track you. It's a bit worrisome that people can turn off all tracking so things like StatCounter (which I, along with many many people, use to count how many visitors come to their blog) won't work reliably anymore. Oh well. I guess the price for my own personal freedom from being tracked means I should expect others to let me track them. I did check all the boxes except StatCounter and a couple of others that I know by name recognition, though, and trust as useful to someone whom I might be knowingly doing business with and want them tracking me. I find it's useful to check Alexa once in a while, for example, to see what are the most popular websites. So I want to allow it to continue being useful, and don't mind if it tracks anonymously which sites I visit.
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Larry Weldon said:
Someone mentioned that there's lots of free stuff which comes from the blog - the ad notices also come to my email where they should come. Rev Chris just noted that he likes the home page - so do I.
Also open Logos 4 to Home Page so posted suggestion => Suggestion: Home Page Blog customization option since would likewise appreciate a Home Page without marketing or advertising (being content with what is in my Library; do check email and Logos web pages along with reading forum).
By the way, have been adding items to my wish list on Logos.com (pondering and praying about purchases).
Keep Smiling [:)]
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