kenmcd wrote:I remember looking at these and rejected them because it appears these may have your referral ID embedded in the code.
I remember a number of extensions for Firefox which did this.
These Firefox extensions preyed on users trust and ignorance.
Dear Ken,
You are right. Referral ID is embedded in them. But the important fact is that, the users know that they have to change it in the parameters in the admin backend. The default ID is used only when a user DOES NOT have his own ID. Such users do not use these modules at all.
You probably are looking at this unfairly. Sorry if I am wrong. Can I request you to install the module in Joomla and have a look at the admin backend? Then I would also request you to change the default ID in the 'admin backend parameters'. Later all you have to do is to check the source of the output in a browser. If that still shows the default ID, then I also accept that the modules are cheating.
kenmcd wrote:When you dig through what is actually happening you see the author is benefiting.
This alone is not a problem.
Lack of disclosure is a problem.
Disclosure is important to me and many other users.
The author benefits only when users signup through the links that are seen in the admin backend of the module. Is that wrong?
My apologies if I am wrong.
kenmcd wrote:Specifically what are these?
Code: Select all
$cpa_choice = array ('CAAQg6aazgEaCByzL-E9BzG1KOPC93M','CAAQ0aCazgEaCAu3WxmTyqbLKOPC93M','CAAQxZqazgEaCMOiwb9yonQWKIHD93M','CAAQ5ZaazgEaCFpxEHuGkQUbKIHD93M','CAAQh7yazgEaCCMiotM2K7TZKJ_D93M','CAAQ3bWazgEaCIDpU7OcSSWsKJ_D93M','CAAQ57CazgEaCIwq4QRNXucqKJ_D93M','CAAQ58WdzgEaCFLK1ovSD_DNKNvD93M','CAAQq8WdzgEaCCQIMpsWzihvKNvD93M','CAAQ0ZGazgEaCNfGe9Y_ARDqKPmNxXQ','CAAQ2ZCazgEaCCvPXrFfpg_0KPmNxXQ');
These are the Google codes that get the appropriate format and size of the buttons onto the web pages, as per the user's specification in the admin backend panel. No way these are a mischief. Please look at the original google adsense referral codes, you will realize what they are.
kenmcd wrote:This one does look like it gets changed to the users ID.
Code: Select all
<param name="joomlaspan_ad_client" type="text" default="pub-1107008511660248" label="Client ID" description="Please type your Google AdSense Client ID provided by Google AdSense" />
It does. Please check it for yourself. The instruction 'Please type your Google AdSense Client ID provided by Google AdSense' makes it very clear that users have to insert THEIR Id into the parameters box.
kenmcd wrote:This one looks like it may stay the same. What is this default channel?
Code: Select all
<param name="joomlaspan_ad_channel" type="text" default="4200435582" label="Ad Channel" description="Type the channel ID that you may have set in Google AdSense Admin options. It is advisable to assign a channel to track your earnings better. If you leave the default channel as it is, it does NOT affect your earnings, as long as you have entered your own AdSense ID." />
It does not remain the same. If the user changes the channel, it changes to what the user has inserted. If the user does not insert the channel, even if the default channel remains, as long as the AdSense ID is changed, channel dos not matter.
kenmcd wrote:The Chitika eMiniMalls Module has this link to supposedly sign-up for Chitka.
http://www.medspan.info/chitikThis page has nothing to do with Chitika and everything to driving some ad revenue at your other site.
Well, that is a spelling mistake. If it was
http://www.medspan.info/chitika you will see it differently. I agree disclosure of referral ID is a problem here.
kenmcd wrote:All the modules seem to be geared to affiliate programs.
The JoomlaSpan web site does nothing but promote these referral modules.
All of this adds up to me getting my skeptics hat on.
That is right. Joomla users also want these modules. There is no darkside, you can definitelytake your skeptics hat off.
kenmcd wrote:How do you make money with these modules?
I have no problem with people making money for their efforts
But I do think that it should be fully disclosed when it happens.
The author benefits when users do not have their adsense ID to change it. Such users generally do not even install the modules.
The author benefits when the affilate signup links in the admin backend are used.
kenmcd wrote:Again, my apologies if I am wrong about any of this.
Please clarify your reasons for creating these modules and how you benefit.
Thanks.
KM
You are not wrong about everything. I agree that 'disclosure' of affiliate links is what is wrong about the modules.
However that DOES NOT affect the users in any way.
My apologies if there is anything wrong with my reply.
Disclosure:
Moonray is affiliated with Joomlaspan. Not an admin, but contributes to the development of modules.
Some affiliate links used in the modules are of Moonray.
The first post here mentioning the modules was an attempt by Moonray to get these modules recognized by users.
--------------------------
Continuing further,
We learnt about the development of modules from others in the field. We have observed that using such default affiliate links are common. Examples are abound. That can be seen with almost all revenue related modules in the field. However, there has been no attempt in any version of any module to hijack the users revenue. Never.
All further modules released from the site will definitely have a "disclosure". We learn something new with every experience.
Looking forward to your reply and further action on these posts with interest.
Moonray.
I have been taking notice of how well organized some of the other OSS projects websites are. The strength of this community has always been its forums and there is gold in these hills....but something as valuable as your list needs to be on the official x.joomla.org websites. I'll rally the troops a bit to see what we can do about it.
