Disclaimer: I don't have any involvement with banner advertising. Neither, as far as I know, does my employer.
Companies pay a small amount of money to have a banner displayed on a Web site because they believe it will raise their profile and increase sales. Simulating a banner-click means lying to the company concerned about the number of times its advert has been viewed in order to trick it into paying more. It's theft, regardless of whether the money ends up going to charity or not (and you have only the Web-site owner's word that it will). In my view, the end does not justify the means, especially when most Perl monks will be rich enough to visit sites such as DEC and make a contribution out of their own funds.
I know this is both OT and controversial. Vote me up or down, as you see fit.
Markus
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Yes, this is like pseudo-cyber-RobinHood and for such small sums. Just think what was the most foolish expenditure of money that you spent during the last six months and donate an equal or higher sum to a help organization with a good reputation!
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Could you please explain why this doesn't constitute an attempt to defraud some well-meaning advertiser instead of donating your own money to the cause you claim to support?
If God had meant us to fly, he would *never* have given us the railroads.
--Michael Flanders
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Personally I feel this does not belong in this forum. While the script is simple enough for anyone to create it doesn't mean we should create or support it here. For charity or not there is no reason to encourage such abuse of the banner system. Many sites rely on legitimate banner revenue to keep running. Things like this only lower the value of those advertisements and code like this reflects badly on the monastery as a whole. I'm sure this was an innocent and well meaning post on your part, but if you want to support the victims you should make direct contributions.
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