Ad Block Plus Filter Maintainer "rick752" Dies At 56 385
A user on Reddit pointed out that Richard "rick752" Petnel, maintainer of one of the most popular filter lists for Ad Block Plus, has passed away at age 56. In an article last year Petnel described a bit of what he was up against in the ad world. "'I'm playing against some pretty big players,' he said, explaining his reluctance to step forward. 'I don't want to be harassed. . . . I don't want to be bribed. I started it because I was frustrated with getting my computer infected from ads -- malware and spyware and all that stuff,' he said. 'I kind of went overboard with it. But you have to admit, it's pretty amazing, right?'" Update 15:05 GMT by SM: updated to reflect Rick's status as maintainer of the most popular Ad Block Plus filter as opposed to Ad Block Plus itself.
What can you say. (Score:5, Insightful)
I feel for his family. I use and really like adblock plus but that is trivial compared to what his lose means to his family and friends.
Re:erm? (Score:2, Insightful)
Rest in peace, Mr. Petnel. (Score:5, Insightful)
RIP (Score:3, Insightful)
Love the product (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What can you say. (Score:5, Insightful)
So young... (Score:3, Insightful)
A close friend has recently died at a similar age and it's so strange to think of all the plans we make for after retirement, never contemplating we may never reach it...
His legacy is that a lot of us enjoy surfing more (Score:3, Insightful)
That means they are more in-your-face, more determined to ignore your option not to see them. This in turn leads to people like Rick taking a stand which leads to all of us AdBlockPlus users having a better surfing experience.
Advertisers have brought it upon themselves by being aggressively greedy. It's a numbers game which is backfiring to some extent as more people decide that enough is enough and they block all adverts. Unfortunately this greed by the super-corps has hindered the little guys who rely on adverts and use them subtly and responsibly as they are blocked too by users. Then.....since when has any CEO been ousted for considering the little guy? It's all "ME! ME! ME!".
Re:Rest in peace, Mr. Petnel. (Score:5, Insightful)
Somehow I imagine... (Score:4, Insightful)
...some kind of Internet-equivalent of a statue built for him, and the creator(s) of the original AdBlock (of whose I can't even find the names :/).
Without this little extension, the Internet would be unusable for me, and many, many other people.
Any suggestions besides making AdBlock Plus a community project and maybe even integrate it into Firefox itself? (After all, I don't know a more important extension. If I would have to choose between having tabs and having ads blocked, I'd always choose the ad blocker.)
AdBlock (Score:5, Insightful)
He made the world a little bit better for a whole lot of people, quietly and effectively. There's almost no higher purpose in life.
Re:Ditch MS Windows and set up an IP filter list (Score:5, Insightful)
I've been using adblock plus for years now, and I can count the times I needed to disable it or allow something through it because a item or site I wanted to use wasn't working.
No tears shed for intrusive advertising (Score:5, Insightful)
I read the article associated and all I heard from the content owners' side was "If you block our ads, we lose revenue!" It seems to me that if websites stopped using more and more intrusive ad techniques that people would be less likely to want to use ad-blockers. You already know your customers hate pop-ups, so the ads get blocked. Your answer is to use pop-unders instead, trying to circumvent the wishes of your target customer. You know they block half the ads on your site, so you double the ads and spread the content out over twice as many pages. Again, your customer has already told you what they want, but you insist that you know better.
Seriously, I'm getting tired of website owners and advertisers continuing to whine about how we won't let them bug us. If you want me to look at your ads, stop making them annoy me so much! Stop using blinking, flashing banners (too bad the BLINK tag didn't take you with it when that died), stop using javascript banners that are as likely to infect my computer as not. Stop trying to "bundle" your adware with anything I want to install.
If you make your ads play nice with me, I'll stop using ad-blocker software. I'll look at your ads and I might even buy something from them.
This means DONATE. (Score:5, Insightful)
If you liked the software, donate money to his family to help cover funeral costs, or donate money to the charity listed in his obituary, Community Hospice of Albany, as a last tribute to someone whose work you've enjoyed over the years.
Someone else will maintain adblock plus. It could even be you!
...Though it'd be deliciously ironic as a Googler's 20% project.
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
On top of that he asked on a tech site where someone might know, he didn't go up to the guys widow (or mother or whatever) and ask what's going to happen with the project.
Re:Rest in peace, Mr. Petnel. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
Trollish, No.
The poster brings up a very poignant and VERY on-topic question even if it was tactless. Not all of us have social skills.
If the poster had posted anon THEN I would consider it a troll.
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
how is this a troll?
Because there is no "-1 Classless" mod?
Re:Rest in peace, Mr. Petnel. (Score:3, Insightful)
He also annoyed websites by removing their ability to pay for their hosting. Yay.
No loss. When websites and advertisers get it through their thick skulls that people won't block advertising that's useful to them then maybe good websites will prosper and everybody will benefit.
Most web publishers are so focused on maximizing their ad revenue they lose sight of the fact that obtrusive advertising clutters and reduces the net value of their website. To below zero for many viewers.
Re:Somehow I imagine... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Love the product (Score:5, Insightful)
.. because there's no heaven ?
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously, who cares about "social skills" on an online forum for geeks? It's not like his family are going to read it. There's nothing insensitive about it, because the only people who will be offended will be people who didn't even know the guy having mock outrage on his behalf. I'm sorry if I don't want to cater to their imaginary grief.
If Linus died, I would say that sucks, who is going to be the face of the Linux kernel now? I don't know him, a handful of people on here have probably interacted with him on a professional level, but I doubt there are any that would really be effected on a personal level. I'm sure there would be tons eager to proclaim "how dare you talk about the kernel at a time like this" etc. ad nasuem. Fuck that. They don't actually give a crap about the guy who died, in fact they are probably thinking the same question. They have just seized an opportunity to be the high and mighty self-appointed moral police, and to that I say Fuck you. I'd take a troll over you anyday.
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
So essentially not too much to worry about, but yes that was indeed trollish to care more about yourself rather that the family and friends and publicly ask that question.
I disagree. When someone ties up I-95 with a big deadly car crash, I want to know when they'll re-open I-95, not how everyone is feeling.
Devil's Advocate (Score:5, Insightful)
Trying to play Devils advocate.
As a user of AdBlock plus myself, I do often wonder how many services that I perceive free have advert revenue behind them. Will we see these services disappear as usage of ad blocking tools continue when they cannot generate enough revenue?
Re:So young... (Score:5, Insightful)
One day, you'll have kids. Then come back and read this comment :)
Egotism vs Egoism (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Rest in peace, Mr. Petnel. (Score:5, Insightful)
Without advertising you often have to either charge for access to your website, or rake in donations. You are being very naive with your assumptions.
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm not sure it's so goddamn classless. It shows that someone who didn't know the anonymous guy or anything about him still cares about his work. It might be "insensitive" in some situations, but right here and now it's also a display of appreciation. This is Slashdot, not a funeral.
Re:i'm not usually the tin foil hat kind of person (Score:4, Insightful)
Everybody who knows Rick doesn't view ads, and doesn't contribute to Google's income.
Re:erm? (Score:5, Insightful)
If Linus died, I would say that sucks, who is going to be the face of the Linux kernel now? I don't know him, a handful of people on here have probably interacted with him on a professional level, but I doubt there are any that would really be effected on a personal level. I'm sure there would be tons eager to proclaim "how dare you talk about the kernel at a time like this" etc. ad nasuem. Fuck that. They don't actually give a crap about the guy who died, in fact they are probably thinking the same question. They have just seized an opportunity to be the high and mighty self-appointed moral police, and to that I say Fuck you. I'd take a troll over you anyday.
Agreed.
Yeah, it sucks that Rick died... I'm sure he was loved and his friends and family are in mourning... And I guess I'd rather he hadn't died... But, really, I don't know the guy. Didn't even know his name until this story showed up. I'm supposed to act heartbroken and sympathetic and stuff? Over some guy I never even knew?
People die literally every second of every day. Turn on CNN and you'll see dozens of stories about shootings and disasters and accidents... Am I supposed to just sit around in a permanent state of mourning for all the people who are dying?
A week or two back when Natasha Richardson died in that ski accident they had people calling in, weeping over their loss... Except that they didn't know Natasha. They weren't her friends or family. They were just random people who happened to see her in a movie, or hear her give an interview, or see her at a gathering... They had no real emotional connection to her. Whatever relationship they had, whatever person they thought she was - that was a creation of their own mind, not reality. And they were weeping as if their best friend had just died.
Yes, it sucks that this person is gone. It sucks when most people die. But I didn't know them. I didn't know their friends or their family. I've got absolutely no ties to them at all. The only connection I have to this Rick guy is the fact that I use his filter... So, yeah, I'm concerned about the filter living on.
"Turned Off"..... (Score:4, Insightful)
FTFA:
"Just imagine, they argue, what television programs would be available if there were no commercials to fund their production. "
-TV show funding comes from the corporations that provide the financial backing from a variety of sources, not just advertising. Plus, the advertising products through ads isn't the only way companies let people know about their products. I can go to several sites and look to see what's new and available. You can use many ways of finding out about products on the Internet at anytime. On TV, you can only watch either the program or the advertisements at any one time. You can change the channel, but you will be watching something other than what you wanted to watch in the first place.
Advertisers should take note: If someone creates a way to NOT look at ads, and the means of blocking the ads are being adopted by more and more users, then that is a *VERY* strong sign that people do not want to see the ads. If people are blocking the ads, then advertisers should understand that whether they show the ads or not, people are most likely NOT going to buy the product or service being advertised. Companies will save money by not wasting it on advertising products that are not going to be bought, and consumers will go to places where they can voluntarily look for a product or service on their own, without having an ad shoved in their face.
People are most likely going to buy things when they need or want them, and when they do, they'll go looking for them. When you walk up to someone and constantly try to sell them something that they weren't looking for in the first place (think TRADE SHOWS), you'll definitely piss them off to some degree and they probably won't but it. Ever get annoyed by people begging for a handout outside a business's doors? That's exactly what ad companies are doing, except advertising on the internet it the equivalent of following you throughout the store and continually giving you sales pitches the entire time you're there. Whiny kids are bad enough, but a salesman attached to your back like a remora is even worse.
Anyways, maybe less TV shows for people to watch would mean more people going outside and having some good, old-fashioned fun as a source of enjoyment.
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:3, Insightful)
As of now a very low percentage of internet users are using ad blocking software, so I doubt it will become that big of an issue. But you never know.
Re:erm? (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm sorry, but this is one of the most disgusting comments I've ever read on Slashdot. It's not funny, it's not clever and it's not in good taste.
Have a bit more respect for a bloke who did all us net users a service eh?
Really? One of the most disgusting? I've seen things on this site that would make your eyes bleed, and you think a guy asking about AdBlock is disgusting? Get a grip, man. Either you browse at +4, you just joined 10 seconds ago, or you've recently suffered a major head injury and are suffering from amnesia. Either way, I wish you the best in your recovery.
Also, I find the people faking moral outrage or deep sorrow over the death of someone they didn't know to be more disgusting than the OP. At least the OP is being honest with himself.
Re:This does underscore one flaw in OSS (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm a big fan of both this project and the Open Source movement in general, but this does show off one major flaw in the system.
No, it really doesn't, there has already been an announcement that several maintainers are in the running and one will be announced shortly. This will probably not affect anyone who doesn't know the guy personally at all. Nothing to see here from a technical, use perspective.
Or do what I did... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:4, Insightful)
Interesting question, but the need of adblock tools have originated from the excessive ads that takes over all resources and makes the ads the primary content and the page the secondary content.
If the ads weren't so bad and stressing then the need for adblockers would be small.
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, well, they are getting smarter. Especially with video streams, they have an option of gluing the ad stream to the content, which would render ABP useless. But then again, there are other [torrentz.com] places [thepiratebay.org] to get your TV fix, completely ad free[1].
Besides streaming, they have no hope. Just like with spam, but even more so, website ads are susceptible to filtering by content. It would be a nice project to have: a trainable plug-in which allows the user to mark ads by clicking on them (if they are objects) or by selecting pieces of text. If a well-trained filter can block, say, 95% of all ads on your favorite website, then you feel 20 times better and they are totally boned. What are they going to do?, post 20 times more ads?
[1] Although the websites themselves may be littered with ads :)
Re:erm? (Score:4, Insightful)
It's interesting the socially correct thing to do is pretend you care about someone whose name you may not even have heard before and to offer insincere condolences. Personally I wouldn't want to be hearing from a bunch of strangers if I lost someone again.
Re:erm? (Score:3, Insightful)
yes that was indeed trollish to care more about yourself rather that the family and friends and publicly ask that question.
Uh, what? How about you answer me why this is news. Is it because this random guy died and his family is sad? No. Plenty of other people died in the last couple of days, too. It's news because it affects you.
The real reason parent got modded troll is that he didn't act like he was more concerned for the family, which is what social norms say we're supposed to do. But the point is: it's fake.
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:2, Insightful)
The secret stays in the amount of ads vs. useful material a website offer. When there were simple text ads or decently sized banners nobody thought of a way to block them; things changed when sites were filled with flashing stuff, animations, popups, multiple page articles etc.
It's sad that also the few businesses making money from real content and unobtrusive advertising are hurt by ad filters, but they should blame who abused the web using every possible technology to hide the actual content behind the ads, not pissed off users.
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes... like stop the jumping jiggling flashing so fucking annoying that I can't actually read the content I went there to read. Personally I have nothing against ads being on the page I'm reading. But when they get annoying because of an extremely high 'look at me I'm annoying as hell' factor, I stop looking at that ad permanently with a filter. It is really a companies own fault if people filter out their advertisements after they hire an ad agency that they seem to think that the only way to sell on the Internet is to create ads that are the equivalent of the late night gizmo pitch men who yell at the top of their lungs with the most annoying voice imaginable. It might be possible that it is the web site owner's fault as well for allowing advertisements that annoy their users too.
If the ad people who seem to think it is important to annoy you in order to make an ad 'work well', would get over that fallacy, people would leave the ads alone. I've seen a lot of very clever ads that have good old fashioned static images. But perhaps now-a-days, clever is being replaced by stupid blunt force trauma on the senses. Too bad, 'cause like grandma used to say, "You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar." I never figured out why she wanted to catch flies anyway.
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Devil's Advocate (Score:2, Insightful)
The worst ones are the frames (some javascript artifact?) that pop up and follow your cursor, hiding the content underneath. Adblock and flashblock just don't work on those things. Bastards.
Fortunately, my hosts file kills some of them, but whoever came up with the idea needs to be pegged out on a beach at low tide.
Re:Rest in peace, Mr. Petnel. (Score:4, Insightful)
Without advertising you often have to either charge for access to your website, or rake in donations. You are being very naive with your assumptions.
Seems to me that you are the one being naive. The market determines the viability of the business model - not how much effort you put into it. If the market decides that advertising support is unacceptable, then that's just the way it is. You might as well be claiming that your website needs bailout money.
Re:erm? (Score:4, Insightful)
There are plenty of blogging sites dedicated to doing the socially correct things. Slashdot isn't famous for being one of them.
So what if it's insensitive? It's a valid nerd question, and one that I'm quite certain that quite a few readers here asked themselves before thinking about his family and friends. Everybody who used Easylist, I would think.
Re:erm? (Score:3, Insightful)
Not all the people, but maybe some of the people who did a significant amount of work to make your life better with no expectation of compensation. I mean, if open source is going to try to make any legitimate claims to an ethos, then those claims should be backed up with at least a bit of humanity. Not bothering to tip your hat at the death of someone who helped you out personally, regardless of whether there was a personal relationship, is in poor taste, to say the least.
Now I'm not saying that YOU are the embodiment of OSS, or that WE should have some sort of wake or something (although any excuse to party is a good excuse). What I am saying is that people who create and contribute to OSS are acting in a manner that benefits society as much as, if not more than, the individual. That in and of itself deserves some recognition, at the very least when the contributor passes away. And if his work impacted you directly (as I'm sure it did for most Slashdotters), then the fact that you *didn't* know his name is, quite frankly, irrelevant to the fact that you do now, and you had a chance to at least express some gratitude, but instead created a rationale for why you can't be arsed.
Re:erm? (Score:4, Insightful)
I'd rather be classless than humorless.
Re:erm? (Score:3, Insightful)
Not when you consider that all of us have dealt with someone's death and would like to at least *pretend* that we don't like to see it happen.
Nobody suggested sending flowers, someone simply pointed out that it was crude.
Why pretend? That seems more crude to me. Nobody was wishing death on the guy.. but the fact is to most people here he simply doesn't matter. My life is the same now as it would have been if I didn't see this story on /. and never knew he died. Sorry... that's just how it is.
Sometimes you're supposed to do or not do things because it's acceptable or responsible.
Yes, a lot of people would say that, and I'm questioning why. Why should anyone that had no clue of even his name before this story pretend to care that he's gone? Everyone's going to die, that's the cold fact of life. Those that knew him surely feel loss, and sure it sucks for them... but just for them. Or should they pretend to be sad if they ever found out I died? I doubt they would.. most likely, it would be "oh, that's too bad," and their life goes on unaffected. That's fine.. I'm not so self-centered that I think people that don't know me should care at all.