TBN is in 20,150th place

Muhammad · Apr 19, 2004

Actually, I don't think Alexa delivers any popups---it has a built-in popup blocker.

You may be thinking of Gain which published the 'Gator' tool (not to be confused with our GatorBoy /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif) and delivers all sorts of popups and ads.

The two toolbars I use are the Google toolbar, and the Alexa toolbar. Pros and cons to both.

Knowing how it works, I personally think the spyware built into Alexa is harmless to me. I've been using it since it came out a couple years ago.

frank_f15 · Apr 19, 2004

AHMEN TO THAT i never get any pop ups! so where is that coming from?

Muhammad · Apr 19, 2004

Unregistered users get a pop-up offering them a forum registration. That's it.

From time to time we do pop-ups for registered users as well, but only for special announcements.

PineRidge · Apr 20, 2004

I never used Alexa before but when I typed in my web site name I got a traffic rank of 1,730,867. Is that good, bad or indifferent according to Alexa? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

MadReferee · Apr 20, 2004

never used Alexa before but when I typed in my web site name I got a traffic rank of 1,730,867. Is that good, bad or indifferent according to Alexa? 

It means that some very small number of Alexa toolbar users have visited your site.

The freebie Alexa toolbar tracks your internet usage and transmits this info back to Alexa for sales and marketing purposes. They act like Big Brother. They know where you have been and your visiting habits. This is spyware.

I would not place too much significance in the Alexa numbers since their database represents only a fraction of all internet users.

I have been told that most of the top 2000 sites as ranked by Alexa are **** sites. What does that say about Alexa users?

Muhammad · Apr 20, 2004

I have been told that most of the top 2000 sites as ranked by Alexa are **** sites. What does that say about Alexa users?

That is completely incorrect. They publish the top-500 on their website if you want to see for yourself.

tracks your internet usage and transmits this info back to Alexa for sales and marketing purposes.

I don't recall ever being offered anything for sale via Alexa in my two years using it. Sometimes reading a company's terms of service can paint their service in a negative light, when in reality some of the wording is there for their protection, not really to define exactly what they do.

I understand where you're coming from, but I think you're really misinformed about Alexa.

MadReferee · Apr 20, 2004

My information came from one of my clients who did a lot of internet advertising. They were approached by Alexa who used the web stats as a means to solicit advertising business. BTW, Alexa is part of Amazon.com but I am not privy to how Amazon uses the Alexa info.

Go to the Alexa site and look under Data Services and Company Info. Now read between the lines. They have collected tons of data on the usage habits of internet surfers. One can only guess what can be gleaned from this data. Oh, they also will sell this data to anyone who wants to pony up the cash.

I would be more concerned with the data gathering methods they are using. Most Alexa toolbar users have no idea that their internet activity is being tracked.

PineRidge · Apr 20, 2004

I would be more concerned with the data gathering methods they are using. Most Alexa toolbar users have no idea that their internet activity is being tracked.


I would suspect that a lot of folks from Bill Gates right on down the food chain gather user information these days. It's all a part of the big marketing scheme of things. Don't know if it's good or bad but I'm certainly not going to let it spoil my day, and I'm not looking over my shoulder for big brother either.

As for the ****, I don't visit the sites that show it and I don't condone them. However it is a very interesting point to know that if folks didn't ask for this trash then it wouldn't be offered. Supply and demand quite simple. It's just another choice that we all must make for ourselves.

KiotiJohn · Apr 21, 2004

( To all Alexa Toolbar users:

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!!!

How do you think they get these stats?

Think about it.

My friends call me Mad
)
I have built and run 3 different sites, and I get all those stats through my control panel that I use for the sites. I can tell who's been there, what browser they used, how they got there, what countries are represented and much much more. It's so common, I don't even think about it anymore. I have never assumed that my computer use is private. I'm sure it isn't very. John