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Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Allen Murray: "Sorry For All The Ads."

(Before we go anywhere, let me say I brought up this blog post because I thought it was both tongue-in-cheek funny, and an interesting behind-the-curtain look at an earlier time in the Xbox's lifespan. So, yeah, this isn't me trying to jab any of you about Xbox ads. xP )

http://blog.theilluminatedsquid.com/post/94215585076/10-years-in-games-sorry-for-all-the-ads

Allen Murray, a former program manager for the Xbox platform, wrote this blog post a bit over a week ago, and in it he details the process that led to the creation of the Banner Of The Day system, i.e. the first real example of advertisments on the Xbox 360 platform. It was originally inspired by a simple problem; with the increased use of digital distribution for smaller indie titles, there wasn't really a way to make the users on the console aware of new releases, or other community developments. Space on the front page devoted to such updates would make it easier to keep users up to date. Ironically, the Powers That Be were actually quite reluctant to pursue any form of advertising on the system, and it took coaxing both from Murray, and from Larry Hyrb, also known as Major Nelson.

He apologized for any Mountain Dew ads that have arisen in the meantime, but I don't think he had a hand in those. xP

Oh, and he also had a hand in the platform's parental controls. ...he apologizes for that too.



Zanten, Doer Of The Things

Unless He Forgets In Which Case Zanten, Forgetter Of The Things

Or He Procrascinates, In Which Case Zanten, Doer Of The Things Later

Or It Involves Moving Furniture, in Which Case Zanten, F*** You.

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The Ads never made sense to me...why do I need ads on a console I payed for while I'm also buying games and paying for the online service? Dafuck?



Bet with Adamblaziken:

I bet that on launch the Nintendo Switch will have no built in in-game voice chat. He bets that it will. The winner gets six months of avatar control over the other user.

haha, well at least he apologized.



    

NNID: FrequentFlyer54

He's sorry but does it anyways?



Mystro-Sama said:
He's sorry but does it anyways?


Well, he is the former project manager. o.o So I don't think that he actually had anything to do with the Xbox One dashboard, maybe not even the post-Blades UI cluster**** of ads. It sounds more like he inadvertantly proved to be the icebreaker on the idea of adspace in the first place, and for that matter, it was about promoting digital games on the storefront that were buried so deep in sub-menus, there was no real way for gamers to know if a new, potentially interesting title had just released on the storefront. xP The idea of using it to advertise eeeeeverything else probably came from a decidedly more corporate place. Which is why the apology does come off as a little tongue in cheek.

Ironically, only a little while ago, the guy responsible for the first 'pop up' internet ad apologized too. xP So folks with that kinda history seem to be coming out of the woodwork.



Zanten, Doer Of The Things

Unless He Forgets In Which Case Zanten, Forgetter Of The Things

Or He Procrascinates, In Which Case Zanten, Doer Of The Things Later

Or It Involves Moving Furniture, in Which Case Zanten, F*** You.

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This is why I say ads are a slippery slope. Even if they initially serve as a discovery medium (*cough*AdDuplex*cough*)

Next up: Mario Kart: Mercedes Edition!



 
I WON A BET AGAINST AZUREN! WOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

:3

Its a start...



In this day and age, with the Internet, ignorance is a choice! And they're still choosing Ignorance! - Dr. Filthy Frank

Ads never bothered me.



His intentions were good, make customers aware of new titles. Once his work was done though, the higher powers saw ways to abuse the feature. I deal with similar situations in my work. Explain an idea that is pro-consumer and would generally help sales only to create it and it is later used in manner that is anti-consumer.

So Allen, no need to apologise.



Hmm, pie.

Mystro-Sama said:
He's sorry but does it anyways?


He would do great at BP

 



http://www.youtube.com/v/AoOOpLpcF28 http://www.youtube.com/v/CphFZGH5030

All Hail the Jester King. The King is back, and I am still a dirty girl prof ;)