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It's all starting to come out of the woodwork now: Oracle: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19303290 Google: To be revealed So, anyone here want to 'fess up?  I deny rumours that I'm on the payroll of Fray Bentos.
Sounds like a good idea, been angling for it for years but first I'd need a track record.
A friend of mine who runs a tech support company says it's not too hard to monetize a blog, although the return will be minimal (tens of pounds per month at the most) unless you get a proper following.
I follow a fair few blogs which are "monetised" in the sense that they have a PayPal tip jar or an Amazon affiliate link. And a fair few Webcomics that are "monetised" in that they sell related knick-knacks or T-shirts (or, in some cases, books). I think the important thing is disclosure. If a blog is taking money from someone else to produce a mish-mash of advert and editorial, then that's problematic. And probably unethical. Just my (correct) opinion. TRiG. 
<ahem> Have we all seen Pastey's current front page entry on Adnams Broadside beer? A87767879 Not only is it advertorial it ends with a first person 'we thoroughly recommend trying it'.  ~jwf~
I hadn't seen that. Must have missed the Peer Review thread.
 Having often in my career been employed as a professional hack I have writtten advertising, editorials, consumer advocacy and general propaganda for products, services, ideas and causes in which I had no personal interest or belief. So I am far from being critical of the form or anyone who engages in it. In fact I have the same attitude toward any occupation in which there may seem to be some standard held that one should not be recompensed for something that comes naturally or brings them other personal benefit or pleasure. Many people believe it is wrong or hypocritical to accept compensation for doing anything which they might well be doing anyway. Whether the primary motivation is a natural talent and facility, special skills or interest or a simple lack of choice. The most obvious of these of course is prostitution. And we can add professional sports, rock and roll, comedy, beauty contests, politics and murder to name but a few. It's a whorable job but somebody's gonna do it.  ~jwf~
It's just a small tip of the astroturf iceberg. Free market my ass.
H2G2 has an old entry on astroturfing: http://www.h2g2.com/approved_entry/A692750 ps The H2G2 adverts at bottom of the page are what causes the slow loading of H2G2 pages as well as the crashes.
Hmmm... Where's that "Threads with surreal connections" thread? There's a new Announcements thread: http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F21546918?thread=8295952 and it looks like Pastey is gonna be a boss of some kind. PS: Did I make it clear above that I am not opposed to people making a living thru promotions and advocacy? I am even more supportive of anyone who can do it in  cyberspace . As someone who didn't buy into Facebook I am thrilled that h2g2 is moving into a viable future as a Free enterprise. God bless the Hart of Gold and all who sale in her! (As usual all spellunkings above are quite <sic>)  ~jwf~
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