NationStates++ | Browser Extension for NationStates

[[violet]]

Request: Perhaps you could develop a logo or use a consistent identifier for when you insert messages into the site that are you directly speaking to NS++ users. Sometimes players think those messages are from us, which is confusing for all concerned. For example, we periodically get questions about the text NS++ inserts into issues you don't like telling the player to dismiss them. Most experienced players will realize this is personal Afforess commentary, of course, since it wasn't there before, but there's actually nothing to identify it as such, so it fools some people. We would like players to be able to tell when it's you speaking to them.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

No matter how many times its explained to me.....all I can see is flim-flammery. I'm not comfortable using something that someone can use to piggyback their way to hacking my information (in-game and real-life), so sorry...but no.

Security is 90% the user's fault, the other 10% is a program with a backdoor.

Think about that for a second before throwing sling at an open-source project.

[Toronina]

Can I trust NS++ because I have no anti-virus at the moment, and I'm suspicious of all things downloadable

[Brithenia]

I got NS++ but I'm not sure how to make it work..? :erm: It'll show it's added on to Firefox but then I don't know if it's running or how to make it run... S

After I add it on, there doesn't seem to be any difference to the look or function of NA. There's no extra options or anything. So I just end up deleting it...

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Can I trust NS++ because I have no anti-virus at the moment, and I'm suspicious of all things downloadable

It can be trusted.

I downloaded the Chrome version for NS++ and it never gave me any issues while I was running it.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I got NS++ but I'm not sure how to make it work..? :erm: It'll show it's added on to Firefox but then I don't know if it's running or how to make it run... S

After I add it on, there doesn't seem to be any difference to the look or function of NA. There's no extra options or anything. So I just end up deleting it...

If the left side where everything is staying on screen while scrolling down the page then you do have NS++ active.

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

I got NS++ but I'm not sure how to make it work..? :erm: It'll show it's added on to Firefox but then I don't know if it's running or how to make it run... S

After I add it on, there doesn't seem to be any difference to the look or function of NA. There's no extra options or anything. So I just end up deleting it...

Did you make sure you enabled the plugin?

[Toronina]

Can I trust NS++ because I have no anti-virus at the moment, and I'm suspicious of all things downloadable

It can be trusted.

I downloaded the Chrome version for NS++ and it never gave me any issues while I was running it.

Well I use Firefox, can it be trusted on all browsers it runs on. Sorry but I like to be safe than sorry

[Soldati Senza Confini]

It can be trusted.

I downloaded the Chrome version for NS++ and it never gave me any issues while I was running it.

Well I use Firefox, can it be trusted on all browsers it runs on. Sorry but I like to be safe than sorry

Yea, NS++ is safe to use in my experience. Also, afforess' code is pretty clean so it's not a virus or malware.

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

It can be trusted.

I downloaded the Chrome version for NS++ and it never gave me any issues while I was running it.

Well I use Firefox, can it be trusted on all browsers it runs on. Sorry but I like to be safe than sorry

Yup its okay.

[Toronina]

Well I use Firefox, can it be trusted on all browsers it runs on. Sorry but I like to be safe than sorry

Yup its okay.

Just worried since I don't have an anti virus. I'll most likely download it another, since I'm forced to use a shite Optus Modem that has only like 6 GB of data

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Yup its okay.

Just worried since I don't have an anti virus. I'll most likely download it another, since I'm forced to use a shite Optus Modem that has only like 6 GB of data

The antivirus won't detect it, and in my experience anti-viruses can only give false positives if it uses code like that found on a key generator.

NS++ doesn't use that so you're safe.

[Shadow Afforess]

Request: Perhaps you could develop a logo or use a consistent identifier for when you insert messages into the site that are you directly speaking to NS++ users. Sometimes players think those messages are from us, which is confusing for all concerned. For example, we periodically get questions about the text NS++ inserts into issues you don't like telling the player to dismiss them. Most experienced players will realize this is personal Afforess commentary, of course, since it wasn't there before, but there's actually nothing to identify it as such, so it fools some people. We would like players to be able to tell when it's you speaking to them.

I believe that is currently the only instance of commentary that I insert into the game, and I agree, It should be more clear it's not from the game. I'll fix that.

[Capisaria]

Request: Perhaps you could develop a logo or use a consistent identifier for when you insert messages into the site that are you directly speaking to NS++ users. Sometimes players think those messages are from us, which is confusing for all concerned. For example, we periodically get questions about the text NS++ inserts into issues you don't like telling the player to dismiss them. Most experienced players will realize this is personal Afforess commentary, of course, since it wasn't there before, but there's actually nothing to identify it as such, so it fools some people. We would like players to be able to tell when it's you speaking to them.

I believe that is currently the only instance of commentary that I insert into the game, and I agree, It should be more clear it's not from the game. I'll fix that.

I've never seen these commentaries, what issues in particular are there that have this?

[Shadow Afforess]

I believe that is currently the only instance of commentary that I insert into the game, and I agree, It should be more clear it's not from the game. I'll fix that.

I've never seen these commentaries, what issues in particular are there that have this?

Only one issue does, issue #230: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88#230

[[violet]]

Request: Perhaps you could develop a logo or use a consistent identifier for when you insert messages into the site that are you directly speaking to NS++ users. Sometimes players think those messages are from us, which is confusing for all concerned. For example, we periodically get questions about the text NS++ inserts into issues you don't like telling the player to dismiss them. Most experienced players will realize this is personal Afforess commentary, of course, since it wasn't there before, but there's actually nothing to identify it as such, so it fools some people. We would like players to be able to tell when it's you speaking to them.

I believe that is currently the only instance of commentary that I insert into the game, and I agree, It should be more clear it's not from the game. I'll fix that.

Ah okay, thanks, I thought there were more. I know there have been a couple of kerfuffles in the past (commentary on a WA resolution, I think, and marshalling people to invade or defend a region?), and a lot of that angst will be avoided if it's clear to all who the messages are coming from.

[[violet]]

Since NS++ already flips the RMB upside down, what about simply shifting the ad that's currently below it to above it?

Will do. (And done. I had to reposition it with CSS, you can't actually move ads)

Thanks for this, but the ad is now positioned in a pretty bad way. Sometimes it's halfway off the page, causing the browser to add a horizontal scrollbar:

http://i.imgur.com/REwrwSn.png

And the rest of the time it's extremely close to the RMB's title text, and partially obscures the little jump-to-top-button:

http://i.imgur.com/NZVZedb.png

This makes the ad quite a bit more annoying than it needs to be, which probably discourages people from leaving them on.

[Shadow Afforess]

Will do. (And done. I had to reposition it with CSS, you can't actually move ads)

Thanks for this, but the ad is now positioned in a pretty bad way. Sometimes it's halfway off the page, causing the browser to add a horizontal scrollbar:

http://i.imgur.com/REwrwSn.png

And the rest of the time it's extremely close to the RMB's title text, and partially obscures the little jump-to-top-button:

http://i.imgur.com/NZVZedb.png

This makes the ad quite a bit more annoying than it needs to be, which probably discourages people from leaving them on.

Hm, I will look into the horizontal issue. The real problem is you can not move the ads in the DOM, at all, once the page is served to the user (by NS). Doing so prevents the ad from appearing at all. So I am forced to use JS + CSS to reposition the ad manually, which is quite painful.

[[violet]]

You could just not block ads! Since there are already browser extensions for that. What NS++ does is entirely redundant. And, of course, cuts off our revenue from people who don't mind ads enough to install an ad blocker, but like NationStates enough to install NS++.

[Shadow Afforess]

You could just not block ads! Since there are already browser extensions for that. What NS++ does is entirely redundant. And, of course, cuts off our revenue from people who don't mind ads enough to install an ad blocker, but like NationStates enough to install NS++.

That ad is at the bottom of the region page, which is never visible due to infinite scroll. Doesn't have anything to do with ad blocking, and everything to do with page layout.

As a further aside, I have a fundamental hatred of advertisements and see them as a symbol of everything horrible about postmodern society.

[[violet]]

I have a fundamental hatred of advertisements and see them as a symbol of everything horrible about postmodern society.

As a capitalist!?

How come you run ads on NSwiki, then? And NS++ doesn't block those. It only blocks our ones.

[[violet]]

How come you run ads on NSwiki, then? And NS++ doesn't block those. It only blocks our ones.

Btw I just noticed you do that frozen sidebar thing there, which means your sidebar ad often can't fully display. You will get a nastygram from Google about that.

[Shadow Afforess]

I have a fundamental hatred of advertisements and see them as a symbol of everything horrible about postmodern society.

As a capitalist!?

We are on a tangent now... but what the heck. Advertisements are not capitalist in nature, they are corporatist. Advertisements are a form of pollution. Like air pollution, they ignore borders and real estate boundaries. If you erect a giant billboard ad on your property, that is fine. What is not fine is that I, a person not on your property, am forced to see it because your billboard occupies space formerly used by the natural skyline. You have effectively stolen my view. (Much like a coal power plant steals your clean air)

Online advertisements are just as sinister. Advertisements don't just advertise merchandise to you. They track your behavior online. Dozens of companies are informed about each page you visit. (Visiting nytimes.com sends information about my visit to 12 different companies) You did not sign up for this. You can not opt out, short of blocking all advertisements in a scorched-earth policy.

What are advertisements, really? Manipulation. Advertisements exist to convince people to purchase a product they don't need. Or vote for a certain interest group. Or to consume more. Or be afraid. Advertisements often prey on our tribal nature, us vs them, fear and pleasure, sex and innocence. Advertisements manipulate everyone - even people who think they are too smart to be manipulated. They work at a subconscious level. You can't "opt out" of the manipulation. Every time you look at an ad, your mind has been subtly altered. It is impossible to avoid this - so ads are also a form of "mental pollution".

Make no mistake, Advertisements do work. If they didn't, ad companies would be out of business.

So advertisements are pollution, they track you without consent, and they manipulate you at a subconscious level. If I built a magical widget that could do all 3 of those things, it would be decried as pure evil. So too, I believe, with Advertisements.

The saddest thing about advertisements is that the best minds of our generation spend their time optimizing Google's adsense algorithms. I know brilliant people, easily 2-3x smarter than I am, who are now working for Google, tweaking adsense. What a waste.

How come you run ads on NSwiki, then? And NS++ doesn't block those. It only blocks our ones.

Originally, I thought a single ad might be able to cover the expenses, as NSWiki does not use much resources. But it doesn't even come close (Its made $9 and cost me $40 in the same time period). I don't want to add more advertisements.

Am I a hypocrite? Definitely. At least I'm an honest hypocrite.
(Advertisements are also a tragedy of the commons)

How come you run ads on NSwiki, then? And NS++ doesn't block those. It only blocks our ones.

Btw I just noticed you do that frozen sidebar thing there, which means your sidebar ad often can't fully display. You will get a nastygram from Google about that.

That's standard mediawiki behavior. But I would rather just remove the ad entirely. *poof*

[Natanian DRNR]

Afforess, is there a way you can add something to NS++ that allows us to know which nations are puppets?

[The Republic of Lanos]

Afforess, is there a way you can add something to NS++ that allows us to know which nations are puppets?

"What's privacy on NationStates?"
"I don't know son, we're NS++ users."

That's a very very bad idea on multiple levels.