DRL777 - Posted - 03/15/2026:  12:47:01

I can't begin to tell you how many good deals were missed, because of a flood of certain couple of people who post repetitive ads of various flavors of their wares.

This is why I haven't re-upped my annual subscription, and won't until the spam ads get fixed. Endlessly scrolling to bypass said postings is a surefire way to annoy folks. I am sure I'm not the only one.

CrazyCatLazy - Posted - 03/15/2026:  13:39:59

Seconded.

The learning materials section has been a junkyard for months

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/15/2026:  14:06:01

I may be mistaken, but I thought the materials section was for people selling their wares, not free stuff. If so, these aren't spam, they are advertisements for those who wish to partake of their expertise.

A good thread for Eric to chime in on, as I'm not sure I'm correct in my assumptions.

CrazyCatLazy - Posted - 03/15/2026:  14:20:24

quote:

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Originally posted by Texasbanjo

I may be mistaken, but I thought the materials section was for people selling their wares, not free stuff. If so, these aren't spam, they are advertisements for those who wish to partake of their expertise.



A good thread for Eric to chime in on, as I'm not sure I'm correct in my assumptions.

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Sorry, who was asking for "free stuff" in this suggestion for an improvement in the "suggestions and improvements" section of the forum?

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/16/2026:  04:02:18

Okay, can you tell me where the spam is? I only scanned a few files and all looked like they were legitimate teaching/learning material.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/16/2026:  04:18:04

Just a thought. If you are receiving spam ads (not insrtructional material), then you need to get an ad blocker on your computer/cell/tablet. I have an ad blocker and I don't receive any spam ads at all.

Joel Hooks - Posted - 03/16/2026:  05:52:56

quote:

---

Originally posted by Texasbanjo

Okay, can you tell me where the spam is? I only scanned a few files and all looked like they were legitimate teaching/learning material.

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I think the OP's request was straight forward and easy to understand. 

That said, I do not think it is necessary.  But that is just me. 

Edited by - Joel Hooks on 03/16/2026 05:53:44

Alex Z - Posted - 03/16/2026:  08:30:55

quote:

---

Originally posted by DRL777

I can't begin to tell you how many good deals were missed, because of a flood of certain couple of people who post repetitive ads of various flavors of their wares.



This is why I haven't re-upped my annual subscription, and won't until the spam ads get fixed. Endlessly scrolling to bypass said postings is a surefire way to annoy folks. I am sure I'm not the only one.

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The poster doesn't mention instructional or learning materials.  The complaint is about "good deals were missed"  because of "repetitive ads."

The ads are said to be in postings, because the poster has to "endlessly scroll to bypass said postings."  There is no complaint about "spam" or unsolicited ads appearing on the screen.

So the ads as postings apparently have to be in one of two places:

    -- Marketplace

    -- Swap Shop:  Buy, Sell Trade.

Just give me two examples of the repetitive posted ads that are being objected, to so I can understand what the poster is complaining about.

Thanks.

CrazyCatLazy - Posted - 03/16/2026:  10:12:40

Why are you so focused on the "complaint" and not the proposed soultion?

I'm not OP and not pretending to be, but I will try to explain my stance which I believe is similar to theirs.

Let's say I like to peruse the learning materials classifieds. Now let's say over a third of all listings there are for pdf downloads of tenor banjo music in which I have no interest.

Am I complaining that they're there? No.
Am I asking that the seller lists them all in one advert out of consideration to others? No.
Am I asking in any way, shape or form for another party to be affected by my proposed solution? No.

I would like to be able to filter out those adverts so I can view the classifieds looking for something relevent to me.

It's a suggestion for an improvement to the site made in the proper forum.

If it's beyond the technical abilities of the mods, they fear it would hurt revenue for the site by alienating sellers, or there is another reason they think it shouldn't be implimented, that's ok.

But the suggestion is valid.

Stop trying to make it about the complaint so that it can be shouted down. This feigned ignorance is exhausting.

Alex Z - Posted - 03/16/2026:  10:45:09

???

I'm asking the original poster for more information, to understand what THAT poster is talking about.

Asking for two examples of repetitive ads by "a certain couple of people."

After that information is clear, and how often it occurs, and what "endlessly scrolling " means to the poster, then the situation -- whatever it is -- can be addressed. 

Texasbanjo - Posted - 03/16/2026:  11:19:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by CrazyCatLazy

Why are you so focused on the "complaint" and not the proposed soultion?



I'm not OP and not pretending to be, but I will try to explain my stance which I believe is similar to theirs.



Let's say I like to peruse the learning materials classifieds. Now let's say over a third of all listings there are for pdf downloads of tenor banjo music in which I have no interest.



Am I complaining that they're there? No.

Am I asking that the seller lists them all in one advert out of consideration to others? No.

Am I asking in any way, shape or form for another party to be affected by my proposed solution? No.



I would like to be able to filter out those adverts so I can view the classifieds looking for something relevent to me.



It's a suggestion for an improvement to the site made in the proper forum.



If it's beyond the technical abilities of the mods, they fear it would hurt revenue for the site by alienating sellers, or there is another reason they think it shouldn't be implimented, that's ok.



But the suggestion is valid.



Stop trying to make it about the complaint so that it can be shouted down. This feigned ignorance is exhausting.

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FYI:  we mods are not computer technicians and do not have the ability or the authority to make any changes to the software programming.   That's a  job for Eric,  not us.   If changes need to be made, then he's the one to make them.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/16/2026:  14:09:23

CrazyCatLazy—As Sherry notes above, the mods are moderators, not techs or programmers. They have neither technical ability nor authority to modify the BHO site programming in any way. That’s why they are called “moderators.” Basically Eric Schlange, the site owner, is the one who can modify programming. Mods are unpaid volunteers and all the motives and abilities you attribute to them are mistaken.

@CrazyCatLazy

Alex Z - Posted - 03/16/2026:  14:34:31

Seems like what CrazyCatLazy Mr. Jones wants is the ability to search for a string of characters where the hits are not returned, rather than return every hit.



"Give me all the posted ads in the instructional section that do not contain the word 'tenor' ."

The original poster seems to be looking for something else, however.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/16/2026:  19:09:26

It’s always been BHO policy to list only one item per ad. So that has nothing to do with tech. CCL’s issue appears to be with long-standing BHO policy, which is, of course, also outside the mods’ purview.

DASJO - Posted - 03/20/2026:  16:56:53

Howdy Folks: Here is an issue that is somewhat annoying to me related to "endless scrolling". Perhaps this is what the OP was talking about?

If I am browsing in the marketplace and get to the bottom of the page, I click on the "MORE" button. Then more marketplace ads are added at the bottom of the page, but my position is back about three pages in the scroll, so I have to scroll down to get back to where I was. After getting to the bottom and clicking "MORE" again, you will need to scroll further (and further each time) to get to where you want to be because the program takes you back to the first page each time. I'll check if I see ads......[ad seems to occur and remain on the bottom of the screen as I scroll].


Is this a bug? or browser compatibility problem?
Can someone else check to see that I'm actually seeing this??

Thanks Sherry and Bill for being great moderators.
DAVE

Alex Z - Posted - 03/21/2026:  12:25:01

quote:

---

Originally posted by DRL777

I can't begin to tell you how many good deals were missed, because of a flood of certain couple of people who post repetitive ads of various flavors of their wares.



This is why I haven't re-upped my annual subscription, and won't until the spam ads get fixed. Endlessly scrolling to bypass said postings is a surefire way to annoy folks. I am sure I'm not the only one.

---

Still awaiting two examples of the repetitive ads to understand what the situation is. 

"A sign!  A sign I say, Lucasi."

   -- Edgar Allan Poe

DRL777 - Posted - 03/21/2026:  15:16:03

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alex Z

quote:

---

Originally posted by DRL777

I can't begin to tell you how many good deals were missed, because of a flood of certain couple of people who post repetitive ads of various flavors of their wares.



This is why I haven't re-upped my annual subscription, and won't until the spam ads get fixed. Endlessly scrolling to bypass said postings is a surefire way to annoy folks. I am sure I'm not the only one.

---

Still awaiting two examples of the repetitive ads to understand what the situation is. 

"A sign!  A sign I say, Lucasi."

   -- Edgar Allan Poe

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You'll be waiting a long while since I can't post like I could when I held a paid membership. CrazyCatLazy made the same case for filters for relevance of searches.