There is not a single free (internet) service (ok, maybe a few rare exceptions) that runs without ads. You cannot have free webmail without ads. You cannot see TV without ads. You cannot read newspaper without ads. Football matches have sponsors who give big ads on the fences! Obama did not win election without sponsorship.
It is actually unethical to post such topics in the first place, as so many people (including Erik) have to spend some of their time to explain why having ads in free services is good for everyone's health .
First of all, thanks for the great site. I have yet to play a game of chess on the site. I signed up so I could post in the forums, and here I am.
Secondly, on the topic of the original post, I'd say advertisemtents on the site are certainly a fair price for services offered.
Finally, I thought I'd respond to dsarkar. Just because television, internet, political campaigns, sporting events, in short all aspects of life, have become infiltrated by and use advertising to desired ends, does not make advertisement ethical. The fact that people work on websites, etc, and need money in exchange for their work does not make advertisement ethical. Nor are these people to blame for the advertisements.
Questioning a website's ethics certainly is not unethical. Critical inquiry can only lead to a fuller understanding of the website ethics, etc.
Then only paid sites are ethical (because they show no ads), right? There are people in various countries who cannot pay the amount which we consider trivial (I know 1$ = nearly Rs 100 of Bangladesh currency - almost nobody there can justify to their family they want to pay Rs.500 a month to play chess). Then how do you propose to give them free or cheap service? Do you have any 'ethical' suggestion? Or you think only the affluent have got the right to www.chess.com? Is that a very ethical stance?
No. I'm suggesting that advertising is a huge waste of time and money for our society in general. What we need is social and economic change. Perhaps instead of funelling time and money into advertising, we could improve the economy and quality of life in places like Bangladesh.
i totally agree... except that how will people have any money or resources to help others if they don't generate any money or resources?
no money coming in means no food for erik and no more server which then means that you will have nowhere to put this thread in which that then means you wouldn't of thought of this and no erik and the team plus no server means erik will have to get another job and so will all the staff also then their will be no chess.com which is a really bad idea
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