I found this Hosts file that blocks all the advertising banners in the official Exeem, I've been using it for a couple of days now & it works fine.

You can find it here: Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File

I hope someone finds it useful, as I really found those ads Annoying

I do not support using that. The reason exlite was created was not because eXeem uses ads to survive and pay for expenses. But because it used a certain type of ads which were considered Spyware and that affected the users PC adversly. Since eXeem has dropped the Cydoor ads, and switched to basic HTTP ads, then that is fine. Since it no longer affects your PC and spys on you.

If you and others use such methods to block normal HTTP ads then most of the small time programs will not be able to survive. As an example, I run a photography site that gets over 200,000 hits a month. Using google ads I am able to pay for the dedicated server and other expenses that site incurs, which allows me to keep my service and site running for free. People who find a google ad usefull or if it pertains to what they need, then they click it. Its not a popup or popunder. If all my users blocked my google ads I will definatly either shut down the site or charge for membership, because it will cost me too much to run. We are not microsoft or some big company.

I believe as long as the ad is not of the spyware type, and does not mess around with your PC giving itself the right to install or change settings, then it should be left alone. And thats what we got the guys over at exeem to do, change their way of advertising, we never asked them to remove ads completly.

EDIT: Sorry thats 200,000 a day. Non unique.

I understand your point, but also maintain that I have the right to decide whether I choose to view these ads or not.

My junk mail/magazine flyers/junk emails all go unopened/unread straight into the recycle bin, my telephone is ex-directory - no cold calling the list goes on?.. If I decide I'm interested in a product I will research it myself - it's just the way I choose to live my life, freedom of choice?

For example, when the adverts come on the television I can simply occupy myself with something else, or change channel - I'm not strapped into my chair & made to watch them!

Is it not true maybe, that those who find the Exeem ads interesting, useful & acceptable are more likely to click on them & will not try to block them? Whereas those of us who choose to block them, feel & act in the opposite manner, we are not part of the target audience, the ads were wasted on us & the company?s profits remain unaffected?

Regarding Google ads, I do not have a problem with them, as they are subtle & unobtrusive, I have lived happily with them on my computer & never felt the need to block them, (I have unblocked them from my Hosts file as I find them strangely reassuring). The ads in Exeem however, I found to be loud, annoying & distracting, with bright flashing graphics, that were just too much in my face. If I was unable to block the ads then I would have probably uninstalled the program & gone back to Klite Resurrection.

Additionally I run the Adblock extension in Firefox, which blocks advertising on my web pages, as this uses the same principle, do you object to me using that too?

Do I object to you using that? No, when did I object to you using that or any other method? I said I do not support it. Comments such as "also maintain that I have the right to decide whether I choose to view these ads or not " make it sound like I or someone else was trying to force you not to use them. As you can see your post is still alive and kicking.

If you are asking if I agree with your argument, then the answer is a resounding no. "If I decide I'm interested in a product I will research it myself " Ummm.. thats what advertisments do, they inform you of a product, then you decide if you are interested in it. You cannot decide you are interested in a product you do not know even exists. There is no analogy between you turning your head when adverts come on your TV and the adverts you see in eXeem for example. Why dont you turn your head when you see the eXeem adverts? Answer is you cant, because they are not the same, thus your comparison is flawed.

You mention "Is it not true maybe, that those who find the Exeem ads interesting, useful & acceptable are more likely to click on them & will not try to block them? " Yes they are more likely to click on them. But then you have the obvious. Why would someone click on an ad he finds useless and not interesting? Whether they will not try to block them is a bit misleading. Why? Because one ad might be un-interesting, but future ads might be interesting, you cant tell the future.

If people block eXeem ads because Ad X does not interest them, then they effectively block all other and future ads that might actually be interesting. I believe one cannot say he will turn the TV off during SuperBowl 2006 because the ads do not interest him, sure 2005 ads did not interest him, but he has no clue what the 2006 ads will contain. I think an argument of "i just dont feel like it" would hold more water, which if it was the case then by all means block them . On the issue of eXeem ads being too flashy and annoying, I agree, they certainly are at times. But im sure you do not spend more than 15 minutes to find and start downloading somethign off exeem, its not a chat client, you dont sit there staring at it for hours.

Now all that is my opinion, if you want to block all the ads in the world go ahead. I just dont support it (freedom to disagree?), dont get too worked up about it, your post and link are still up there

Heated debates going on here.

Well, If it isnt broken...DONT FIX IT(meaning if the ad are doing any wrong, dont remove them)