The idea was that people would appreciate a web site with no ads whatsoever (as opposed to a majority of the other web sites out there), and therefore, contribute as a thanks.

However, the overall feeling is that ads will work better, so they will back, effective immediately. As soon as they’re back, please click them and help me contribute!

Jeroen,

Leave that choice to me, then, and I’ll see what I can do.

Phil,

I hear what you’re saying, and it is a good point.

Pat,

Yes, most likely there are tons if different reasons behind why people don’t donate (and, like you, some people actually do donate through other channels).

When I removed the ads, one of my other options was to give the money from the ad income to charities myself, but I had hoped giving people the choice themselves would work out better. Needless to say, I was wrong.

Most likely, I will present my ad incomes in some way, showing how it pays off.

matthijs,

When you donate to a charity directly, or generally just buy something online, the credit card fee usually ranges between 2 - 4%, so to me at least that leaves about 1% for Justgiving, which to me sounds reasonable to cover the costs.

Robert Wellock,

That’s just fine!

Andreas,

Well, my, apparently naive, hope was that people would donate a small sum out of gratitude for an ad-free web site, free content and code. People naturally don’t have to, but at least that some would.

Also, most visitors aren’t actually RSS readers. The visitors to the actual page is a bit more that the number of RSS subscribers (but yes, people who read the RSS feed tend to just visit the web site when they want to comment on something).

Jermayn,

Yes, I hope it will work out well.

Ced-le-pingouin,

I can relate to that. A lot of computer-savy users get very good at skimming past ads.

Having said that, now that you reminded us that you put these on the site, I don’t mind donating, because I trust you, so I assume you gathered a minimum amount of information before doing it, and you yourself trust the way it is done.

Thank you! The ads will be back, though, so I’ll leave the option to you whether to click the ads or contribute directly.

I know this sounds sad, but as others have said, I’m coming on your site through RSS, and when the page appears, my eyes focus on one thing: the main post. So I’m not kidding when I say I don’t see the charity signs anymore under the post.

I guess it may come from the fact that I developed a kind of super-power, the ad-avoider: on the internet (mainly) but also on tv (where I can say I “spit” on ads, they’re so dumb and low-class), I don’t see ads anymore. I mean, even when it is in front of my eyes, I often don’t see them (yes it is possible, with training ). It is such a nuisance. So I only see the parts that I’m interested in. I *know* these are not ads, but my habit is stronger, so I simply don’t see them, really.
Sad how you have to adapt to your environment if you (well, your brain, at least) want to survive ;)…

Having said that, now that you reminded us that you put these on the site, I don’t mind donating, because I trust you, so I assume you gathered a minimum amount of information before doing it, and you yourself trust the way it is done.

The charities would probably get more as well :p

Donating is a way out, whereas your content page are primarily designed as ways in, as far as great content is concerned. I’d compare this to stores making environmental claims: I feel positively inclined when in a store that advertises about its moves, but that’s no reason to rewrite my shopping list.
People primarily come to your site to learn something, not shop or donate.

If I were you, I’d set the charity divs apart from the content, and return to targeted ads (if targeted or lucrative enough or both) in the usual places.

Your blog has alot of power I’m sure with all your readers, but it probably takes too much time to do it, or they don’t like giving out their personal credit info via the net, or they are already donaters, or UK was too specific, or they don’t care because we’re taxed enough and can barely make it these days, or they feel charities just never stop asking and it gets monotonist after you’ve given, given, and given, or they think like my husband “Where the hell does all that money go anyway! It’s crap!” LOL - yet I still give, even with his evil eyes peering over my shoulder as I sign the cheque. But you know what, out of the charities that I donate to, nothing feels as good as giving money regularly (when I see him) to the guy who has a shopping cart, only one arm, and his faithful dog beside him. Poor old man.

Whatever the reasons, I’m glad you’re taking my advice with the ad driven donations. It’s easier for your readers, and it will satisfy you as well. I know I’ll try to click more, but I sure hope you show your efforts as well, so we can see you’re donating, that will be priceless; and hopefully encourage more people to click as well.

Good Luck with that, and good on you for sticking with it in some form or the other.

I think your idea to donate your ad-revenue to charity would be far more successful and beneficial for all concerned.

However, when you donate your revenue to the charities, it is you who makes the decision for me. I am supporting your cause, not theirs. As such, I assume you have enough knowledge about the charities to make an informed decision. And all of that while I am persueing my original goal