I never would have installed an ad-blocker had most websites adopted that practice.
But the web ads got too obnoxious. I got sick of a pop-up ad covering the text of what I was trying to read and then having to find the hidden "X" to close it. Sometimes I could never figure out how to close an ad and I'd have to leave the website and move on.
In that, AdBlock was a godsend. As soon as I installed it, I was surfing the web again like it was 1997 with a cable modem. Everything nice and clean and fast.
It does not help that many websites are converting to ‘mobile friendly’ and have horrible scripting. On many of them, menues and links do not work.
Some have pop-ups that cover much of the screen and the X to close it is unreachable.
Luckily, with the Web, there are always alternative websites.
I completely agree with you. I also don’t mind non-intrusive ads. I do mind ads that hide the text I am reading, or worse, crash my browser (I mean you Daily Caller and Lucianne).
I installed AdBlockerPlus after reading about it here on FreeRepublic. It has very much improved the experience of surfing the web.
If I didn't buy it the first time, your ads aren't gonna make me buy it now.