It seems like since I first was a member the ads have gone WAY up. Which all on it's own I don't mind but it's slowing my moving around the site a lot!! Typing things in can be a pain! The constant clicking.....ARRRGH! Am I the only one?? I personally would prefer to pay in order to avoid this. If I donate does this go away? Please anyone?

The clicking bugs me, too. And hitting the back button doesn't always take you back because if you sit on a page for a while 10 advertisements might be sitting in the history. Annoying.

I too get a lot of clicking when I'm trying to comment.

and if I add a smiley face I lose the last of what I typed and the smiley face appears in the middle of my comment box

?????

What is happening???

ARRRGGGHHH!!! ME TOO! Can I PLEASE pay a preium so I can view the site WITHOUT the CLICKING!!!!!! I CAN'T STAND IT!!! If I forget to turn off my volume, and walk away from the computer then I find myself insane and ready to slit my wrists until I realize why - it's that the freaking CLICKING NEVER STOPS!!!!

I have major problems with the ads - it sends my CPU usage shooting up every time it clicks as well AND it is a TOTAL MEMORY HOG!!! I have been wondering why Internet Explorer suddenly dies on me, and I look at the Memory Usage in Windows Task Manager - every time an ad clicks the Memory Usage increases, and never releases it!!!! So if I just leave IE open with CC on it for a little while, without even looking at anything, my entire computer starts to freeze up. Something is REALLY wrong with how these ads are on the site.

As I have been typing this message my Memory Usage for Internet Explorer has increased over 2MB - so now it is up to 200MB!!!! That's just not right.

Unfortuanately I don't like it either...but what can we do? I think it's supposed to keep it free...but then why ask for donations? IF the ads pay for the site (please don't pummel (Sp) me). I think I'd rather pay 10.00 a month then have the ads...especially since we still have the old DIAL UP

I know Jackie and Heath are doing all they can to keep this up and running smoothly and I thank GOD for them...because I would be lost without this site.

Thank you Jackie and Heath!


Christi

I wish they did not change a million times while you are on one page, if they only changed each when you changed to a different page I don't think it would be so bad, but the fact that they change a million times while you are on the same page really stinks.

I think it's a windows or microsoft thing, because when I'm on my personal computer which runs linux, I do not have any ads problems. Just my two cents.

I was going to say, "well you know it is free..." but I guess I didnt realize that was the reason for all of the CLICKING! It does drive me bonkers and I do have trouble with the site. I guess I didnt realize it was due to the ads probably. I would definitely pay to use the site, but I know it is their wish to keep it free. I will take whatever I can get.

I didn't realize there is alot of clicking because I always keep my sound on mute, just don't like all the noise that comes from various sites. However, I was having the back arrow problem, where it seemed like nothing was happening to take you back. I have ie, and discovered the drop box arrow beside the back and forward arrows. If you click on that it displays a history of the pages you have been on, including the ads. You just pick the page you want to go back to, skipping over the ads. It works great for me, no more waiting through the ads or hitting the back button several times, only to discover you are way past where you wanted to be. Hope this helps someone.

I agree wholeheartedly with all the comments/frustrations...very annoying. I find that I'm just not on the site near as much as I was. I realize that they have to pay for the site-I'm for a fee. I already donated, but it was only $25. Maybe if they did another BIG "PLEASE DONATE JUST $!"
beg-I mean request.

I do love this site :/

Another problem with the clicking is taht I use my computer to listen to Sirius radio while I work, and so I keep hearing that clicking ALL the time.

On another free forum I belong to they have a ticker on the home page that shows the goal for donations for the month and how close we are to it - I bet having something like that would encourage more people to give a little more often (those that can of course). I know I am one of them that if I saw we were close to goal I would throw in an additional donation if I could. They also have a Private forum for those who donate a certain amount then they can access certain additional boards.

But I really like the idea of a ticker on the home page so we can all see how much is rasied and how much more they need.

Yeah, I too find that I can't hit the back button and if I don't want to wait I just click on "OPEN IN NEW WINDOW"

IF the ads are there to keep the site free then I feel that donations shouldn't be asked for, I thought that the donations were to enhance service and to keep the site free. It is a great site, I agree with everyone else on that.

But if the clicking is the only thing to put up with and I can come here and talk to other decorators and look at the talent pool out there, I too keep the computer on mute.

But I can see the monitor flickering all the time and I know that's a "click" lol it drives me nuts and I can get a wicked headache from the "computer having a seizure" ( that's what I call it, it clicks, winks, flickers and the blue bar on the bottom left goes absolutely bonkers. I end up with no cursor and forget about trying to use the smiley faces.

and while it's flickering I can't type and have to click the mouse to get my cursor back to continue.

There have been so many times that I try to bring up the page and it takes so long to get the page up and running I will close and go back to work. ( during this time it's having it's seizures,lol)

I tell you this because I work on my feet till my back can't take anymore, then I will sit for a few minutes and try to sign on CC, so I can rest, read, post , comment and look at some eye candy.

and most times I just get frustrated and get up and do something else.

When I can get on, I'm all over the site, lol.

I appreciate all the members that come and share and post. It's just time consuming for me to get to the site sometimes.

Sigh.

Oh well.

Time to get off, it's seizing again, lol

You are not the only one. The changing ads freeze up my computer and kick me offline at least once per visit. If they stayed the same I would probably not have the problem...like maybe the ads could change once daily instead of once per minute or two. This is really frustrating. I love this site and I know Heath and Jackie are trying to come up with new ways to keep it free, but I would rather pay as well than to be kicked off for annoying ad changes.

I just wanted to say that I would pay for the site also...in case someone is keeping count.

simple fix for freeze and click...

ditch IE Explorer and use Firefox.

I'm using Firefox and no clicking, no freezing...

tho there is still that need to hit the back button multiple times to clear out the ad history.

(oh and the tab browsing on Firefox works better than IE's does)

-----

and for all those saying:

I WOULD PAY.....

well, uh duh, you CAN!

It's called making a REGULAR monthly CONTRIBUTION

same as paying a fee -- you just have to do it.

I use Mozilla's Firefox and have no troubles. knock on wood

Here is a link to the free firefox download if anyone is interested.
http://tinyurl.com/2qux6v

I'm so glad that someone posted this! I've been thinking that my Norton Anitvirus was causing the problem. I find that I cannot even type a complete sentence due to the clicking and hesitation of my computer! I just hate to get on CC at home now. The only way I can type or browse is at work and even then the site comes up reallllly slow. At home, it may take me an hour to view a few pictures and type one message.

IT'S THE ADS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe they could make the ads pop-ups so that at least they could be blocked by our anitviurs software and not affect the site? I don't know....I'm a baker, not a computer wiz.

This really is the best cake website out there. It is such a shame that it has come to this. This site is my biggest resource!

(Just like the Guiding Light - haha)

Please.....find a way to improve the site in another way.

I do switch between IE and Firefox - I will ditch IE for awhile and see if that helps. Thanks Doug.

I keep my sound turned clear down unless I want to listen to something in particular so I didn't know there was any clicking. I've noticed the increase in ads and do wish they didn't blink etc, but you know what, I'll take what I can get without complaining because I can't afford to pay a monthly fee. If I had to pay a once a year reasonable fee to use this site I would because I sure don't want to be booted and lose all of this.

This isn't, by far, the first time this whining subject has come up. Personally I think members here ought to be more thankful for all that's provided without required cost to us. And by being grateful I mean just BE THANKFUL without complaining. If you say "I'm so thankful for all of this wonderful free stuff BUT...........", then as far as I'm concerned you negate the genuine Thankfulness of your statement and here comes the whining again.

It's not like the site isn't headache enough for the owners and then these threads come up right under their noses and people are complaining again that their free gifts aren't good enough because they can't use everything fast enough. It's like whispering loud about someone only a few feet away. Not very nice.

I don't look at it as bashing what is free, or talking behind someone in front of them at all.

I'm sure Heath and Jackie see these posts and personally if I ran a site, paid or not, I would want to know what is working on the site and what is not.

That does not mean that then can do anything about it, but I know I personally would at least want to be aware of it all.

Maybe they do not realize that the ads hinder some people's use of the site or the blinking ads are so annoying and they may have alternative ads they can use instead.

If they made you watch a porn clip before you entered each forum you wouldn't say - "Well it keeps the site free so I won't complain about it". Okay, I know, please no flames, that is an extreme example and would never happen, but do you at least get my point?

I will always donate as if it were a yearly membership fee because I can, I would "sponsor a memember" who could not afford to pay if it became required (as is also available on my other site I mentioned before) I am very appreciative, but I will also continue to mention things that really are not working quite right. If they make changes great, if they don't or can't - no problem, at least I asked.

And FYI - I have been trying out Firefox per Doug and I haven't done a TON of searching yet, but so far it is an improvement. So see - this little bit of "complaining" may have resulted in a solution for many of us.

Hey,
I was original poster and I by far did not mean to complain about this wonderful site that is available free! I was trying to point out that the site wasn't working very well for me and wondered if it was only me and my computer or if this was part of the site. I am well aware of the fact that the ads pay the bills, I haven't got a problem with that. I just didn't understand why they had to reload so many times like the TODAY show ad that seems to be one culprit. I am glad I asked because now I can try firefox like others have, which I may not have thought about myself! I don't feel like I did anything wrong by asking and obviously I wasn't the only one. A lot of people do donate to site but I just thought that maybe enough people would be intersted in paying a low yearly fee that could lessen the ads or the reloading of at least. Jackie and Heath would have no way of knowing this unless said. Opening a topic of discussion and venting does not take away how much I appreciate Jackie and Heath and everyone who makes this site what it is. I mean up to now I have found nothing like it anywhere. So, I just wanted everyone to know I love this site, I don't think anyone was trying to be ungreatful!!!

Right there with ya c420 - I notice you are a newbie as well, so I'm sure you have not really seen any of the other posts on this topic.

At the end of the day - CC is the best and there really is nothing like it.

Hey Doug, you make it sound like the military has all the equipment they need. Come on now.....

Anyway, yes, I think the ADs are a necessary evil. I use IE and don't have any problem with freezing or sending messages, no problems at all except it's annoying to me every time the page updates and the little blurb runs across the bottom of my IE bar at the bottom (I'm sure there is a technical name for it).

Sad but true Doug - ads and donations go hand in hand. Paying a membership fee is different.

Thanks again for the Firefox tip - how sad that I already had it, used it off and on and did not realize the difference of this site in FF compared to IE.

Please no bashing or flaming, the OP made a valid statement and we are just chiming in and if you read carefully all of us are very grateful for the site.

It's just the clicking and flicker that annoys us, lol

The ticker thing sound like an excellent idea and yes, I think if I was administrator of the site, I too would be grateful for this thread ( if i was reading it, lol)

So, let's keep things happy. 'k?