(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/FAMILIAR_QUEST/advertising.png)
I'm not sure if I should be amused or freaking out. This actually happened to me and is a screenshot - I've just removed the host name, regarding how some companies are really sensible about this.
...and your talking about what?
OMFG they have the 404'd page LOLZORZ! JUST LYKE STRONGBAD (http://homestarrunner.com/404.htm)! HAHEHEHAEAHAHA! LOLZ0RZ THX BAI!
;)
But seriously. What is the point of this thread again?
You'll need to copy and paste this link into your address bar... I did at least.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/FAMILIAR_QUEST/advertising.png
Anyway, it appears that a site decided to make a custom 404 page and advertise whatever they were selling. I'm surprised the Microsoft website doesn't do this.
"404
This page does not exist.
Buy Vista, and it won't exist in 3D."
No, no...I can see the image fine...I just really don't know what the hell this guy is going on about. Hmmm...they're using their own 404 page as an advertising front. Yes, you should definitely be terrified. Totally.
i thought all hosting places let you customise your 404 pages. mine does
I just didn't encounter that before and was - at the same time - amused and slightly terrifed. I mean, hell, Coupon code: 404 page?
Sorry if my complete lack of intelligence annoyed you, oh great masters of the universe ;) From here on, I will only start threads about how great monkey_05_06 is and hail his sense of humor and friendlyness :=
/EDIT: This post can't even see serious from where it's sitting. I just hate it when people with numbers in their name go all 13375|°34|< on me ;)
I guess I'm just in a bit of a weird mood with all these threads being created for the sole purpose of being locked. It seemed like this might fit into the genre.
Sorry if I was rude. I just don't see why you would be so worried. Admittedly, it's something I've never seen before, but if I had I wouldn't be rushing to the nearest forum to post about it. It is an interesting offer though..."We'll give you hosting for 1 cent for finding our hidden 404 page! You are the winner!" :=
But yes...continue posting about my greatness and you shall be rewarded. :)
P.S. The numbers in my name were something I came up with when I was in middle school several years ago, and have lost almost all of their original meaning. But it's something I've had for a long time, and it's grown on me. It has kind of come to define who I am on the internet in a way. I think you can understand that...Akatosh. :P
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HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH THEVINTAGEDEMON YOU ARE FUNNY HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Anyway, why shouldn't companies advertise on their own 404 pages?
Quote from: monkey_05_06 on Mon 19/02/2007 20:14:14
It has kind of come to define who I am on the internet in a way. I think you can understand that...Akatosh. :P
Um... hehehe... well, yes. I used that nick in a StarCraft match somewhere around 2000 and was to lazy to change it ever since... okay... let's change the topic, shall we :=
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What the hell? So just because someone typed a link wrong means that the site shouldn't be able to include any information about itself (up to and including advertisements for its services)? Because...if it's totally inappropriate for them to put adverts on a 404 page, then it's totally wrong for them to include any information about themselves at all...such as site name, links to their homepage, site logos, etc., etc. I definitely see your point here TVD TVLand.
Quote from: TheVintageDemon on Tue 20/02/2007 09:12:11
Quote from: Yutzster on Mon 19/02/2007 23:03:05
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH THEVINTAGEDEMON YOU ARE FUNNY HAHAHAHAHAHA.
??? Companies shouldn't advertise on their own 404 pages because it's a problem page and is totally inappropriate to advertise on there.
That's not what I was laughing at!
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HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHA You really are twelve!
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That you are twelve, obviously ;)
And that he can't spell "HAHAHAHA" and probably that his shift key is broken. :=
I was laughing at this:
Quote from: TheVintageDemon on Mon 19/02/2007 20:16:34
Quote from: monkey_05_06 on Mon 19/02/2007 20:14:14
I guess I'm just in a bit of a weird mood with all these threads being created for the sole purpose of being locked.
Yes, just like me!
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You know TVLand, you really don't have to quote the post directly above yours every single time.
I guess knowing that you're only 12 helps to explain why you think it's completely inappropriate for websites to include information about themselves on their 404 pages. Though you're probably right. 404 pages should be as vague as possible. In fact...they shouldn't have anything on them at all. That way you know you definitely did something wrong instead of just having to guess that amongst all the advertisements there might be an error message. You are smart TVLand.
P.S. You'd be a lot more likely to stop getting ridiculed so much if you would stop saying/doing such absurd things. :)
For example, consider the differences in these two statements:
1) "In my opinion 404 pages shouldn't be used as an advertising front. Just because someone clicked on an invalid link or typed the address wrong doesn't mean they should automatically be presented with advertisements. The 404 page should be used to let the user know they have accessed a non-existent page."
2) "Companies shouldn't advertise on their own 404 pages because it's a problem page and is totally inappropriate to advertise on there."
Also, consider the differences in these two actions:
1) "WTF? My thread got locked? But why? Oh well...I'll just go create another one!"
2) "My thread got locked. I probably should have put more thought into it before I created a thread saying that really what I wanted was a forum where I could spam. Next time I'll think things through a bit more...that one probably wasn't a very smart idea."
...but there is also a difference between "Oh, TVD opened a new thread again, I should use the opportunity to shout him down" and "Oh, TVD posted, should use the opportunity to shout him down" :=
Now, back to topic everyone. The thing I personally am objecting to is "Coupon code: 404Page". Just as you said, "We'll give you hosting for 1 cent for finding our hidden 404 page! You are the winner!" seems a little cheesy to me.
Thanks Akatosh...I've been spoken to by the mods. I'll have to remember my place in the future.
But yes, back on topic. I meant for that quote there to sound cheesy, but realistically there's lots of free hosting on the internet, so hosting for 1 cent isn't unheard of. And for the hosting companies to thrive they have to have customers (even the free hosts have to have users or they will fail).
I think that if you have the choice where to place advertisements, it really just comes down to personal preference if you would want to place them on the 404 page. As has been noted, the 404 page is supposed to be a place where the server in question can inform the user in question that they have attempted to access a non-existent page (whether by their own mistake or someone else's).
However, does it really take away from that message for the host to advertise on the 404 page? To me it doesn't really make a difference. I ignore most of the ads I see on the internet. If it wasn't something (such as the hosting in this example) I was already looking for, I'd probably just click back (if I'd clicked a link; check the address if I had typed it in myself).