Mark of the Beast
a complement to the GeoPop Page

WaterWhat?
Why does it suck?
Does Geocities give a s*** what I think about it?
Does this matter to me if my site isn't on Geocities?
So how the heck do I get rid of it?
Other Stuff

"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." ...Revelations 13:16-17.
 
Know thine enemy:
It looks like this -> geocities watermark <- Study it well....
 
You're editing your lovely homepage. It's not just lovely. It's perfect. A work of art. You wouldn't change it, no, not for the world. After putting on your finishing touches, you give it a good-bye kiss and send it along its merry way to your Geocities account.
 
> ftp.geocities.com -- File(s) received successfully.
 
Just for good measure, you browse to it, just to make sure it uploaded correctly--after all, it is your best creative outlet in this repressive world in which we live. If nothing else, you're there just to marvel again at the beauty of your creation. That's when you see it...
 
really BIG geocities watermark
 
Acck! What's that @#$% thing floating on top of my Geocities homepage!?!?!?! you cry, suddenly acutely aware that all is not well in the happy land of your pristine HTML.
 
 
And when I'm branded, this mark of shame...should I look down disgraced or straight ahead, and know what you must face?
 
 
There is a fungus among us. If feeds. It grows. It consumes all, swallows your artistic impression like a bitter pill and, like a jealous sibling, must obstruct and steal your spotlight, though it is your time to shine. It jumps, twitches, grabs your visual field and demands to be seen. Now. And forever. It will not leave you alone. Pester, pester, pester, it just won't go away! It tags along, obfuscates your links and turns your hard work to nothing more than a shameless promotion of GeoCities Corp, suckering more prospective webpage designers into the same trap that has defiled your hard work in the first place! Every day your site displays the watermark you are silently helping GC do this to more and more hard-working webspinners just like you.

And once you have planted upon your site this logo over which you have no control, you know how it goes...
 
You go to check your email, in eager anticipation of all the praise and congrats you will receive about your wonderful homepage, as it is perfect in every way. You begin downloading the first of several messages. All righty, you think, they really love the site.
 
"Perhaps you're a little too enthusiastic about GeoCities. A linkback, a graphic, a quick plug, is all well and good... but a scripted floating logo?"
 
Umm...
 
"Whoa, man...why did you f*** up your site like that?"
 
Er, come again?

"Hey, I like your site and all, but could you please please get rid of those Javascripts? They cause all sorts of [Netscape/MSIE] errors and sometimes make my computer crash!"
 
Huh? I didn't put any javascript....

 
You have fallen victim to the mark of evil, that which has caused the death of so many websites and will go on to bring about the death of many more. Many of your viewers will be miffed at the horrid abomination that covers your artistry and obstructs your links. Others will be turned off by the slowdown the watermark's Java scripting will inflict upon their computers, click away from your site and seek similar pages elsewhere. Those that remain will mutter under their breath that you have sold out and fallen in as a willing victim to commercial exploitation. "How much are they paying you to display that logo, anyway?", they may wonder.
 
 
Livin' on command...you're shakin' lots of hands...you're kissin' up and bleeding all your trust
 
You wonder just what sick, twisted individual came up with the idea to brand you and your homepage (your "content", as they call it) as their property. This thing is not just evil, it's much more evil than it need be. It's big. It jerks, jumps, and fidgets like a hyperactive hamster on cocaine. It stays onscreen no matter what, and won't take 'no' for an answer. If you try to scroll it off-screen, it will just come back... in its unique, mocking way.
 
 
 For I am shadows and will follow you, whatever shame I bring
 
So maybe you get ticked off and write a letter of complaint to the adult children who run Geocities. Then you wait.
And wait.
And wait.
 
 
Tell me why, when I scream there's no reply...when I reach out, there's nothing to find
 
 
Maybe you weren't expecting them to up and drop the watermark program just by your suggestion, but the least they could do is send a reply!
 
Feeling disillusioned and downright Pissed Off, you fire off a letter to one of their advertisers, thinking they may be concerned that the negative Geo experience will be associated with their ads. Apparently, this time somebody took notice. You get your reply immediately.
 
 
      From: abuse@geocities.com (Abuse)   
     To: you@geocities.com (Dissident Homesteader That Must Be Taken Care Of)   
   Subj: Home Page Deleted--Content violation  
  
 Dear homesteader,  

Thank you for your feedback regarding our property-branding program. You do understand, however, that advertising is what is going to make us filthy rich; unapproved opinions and any criticism of any GeoCities program are bad for business and could ultimately mean us being a little bit less rich, and will not be tolerated. 
  
Our guidelines and member Terms Of Service (TOS) have been carefully constructed to promote the free flowing exchange of dollars between advertisers and GeoCities with little regard for anything or anyone else, while at the same time maintaining our standard of mis/disinforming the Internet community and the societies of the world at large.  

GeoCities' political principle does not tolerate the development of any opinions or ideas at variance with the will of the majority. Any attempt to uphold different ideas will not be tolerated, as the symptom of an illness which threatens the healthy unity of the state.  

As such, your actions of sending unauthorized email to our Advertisers are inconsistent with our Guidelines and/or TOS; your account has been deleted, your name and profile have been added to our ISP Blacklist and your mother has been stabbed. Perhaps you will think more carefully about your actions in the future.  

 We encourage you to review the guidelines at:  
 http://www.geocities.com/members/guidelines/  

 Thank you,  

 GeoCities Advertiser Response Team  
 www.geocities.com 

 
What you failed to realise is that all advertisers are umbilically tied to GeoCities by an anti-criticism contract, and are required to forward any critic mail they receive to Geocities' legal department with all headers attached, so that punitive actions can be taken against the sender. So now all your files are gone, you're on Geo's shit list (just TRY reposting your site on another FWP, and see how long it lasts!) and they have successfully stolen your voice so that no-one may be dissuaded from joining Geocities by anything you have to say.
 
Well, that's what you wanted anyway, right?
 
Another satisfied customer.

 
 
Hearing only what you want to hear...knowing only what you've heard
 
  
Ha ha ha!!-- I'm Not On GeoCities!!!
 
You think your site is immune to this beast on another FWP, don't you?!? Well, I wouldn't celebrate just yet. Ideas are like fancy hubcaps in the inner city. Just park your Rolls-Royce in the middle of the ghetto and see how long they stay yours. Fact is, when one company hits on something that looks like it'll help them make money, everybody and his brother will be trying to steal it. And, sad to say, Geocities is big. Being practically the first FWP with any measure of success, they are a trendsetter. Geo was the first to implement the pop-up ad. Now just look how many FWPs use them.
 
The watermark is next.
 
 
 
  
 
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." ...Revelations 13:16-17.
 
 
 
 Want to voice your concern over the Watermark? You can copy the above table into your own webpages with this source.
 
  
Killing the Beast
 
The same method of inserting a <NOSCRIPT> tag at the end of your HTML files to get rid of Geopops will also take care of the waterstain. Just don't get caught playing with the stain or you might get a nasty letter from Geo in your email, and may even have your account deleted for tampering.
 
Various other methods exist, including a number of Javascript tricks and a creative use of frames, for hiding the stain that sullies your pages. There is also a Javascript that will take care of the Waterstain, Geoguide banners AND Geopops!...
 
 
Download the All-In-1 GeoAdKiller script!
 
Right-click on the link above and choose Save Link As... to download the all-in-1.js  file that will put these evil GeoAtrocities behind you. Installation is easy:
   
Or, possibly the Best Solution Of All...
 
Some day somebody's gonna make you wanna turn around and say goodbye...
 
F*** 'em--Leave!
Many FWPs are offering free, reliable Web space with different forms of advertising, or even none at all! Some use altogether different business models to keep their businesses afloat. Crosswinds.net relies on the mutual good-naturedness of its admins and members to complement its altruistic Web hosting offer, based more on giving rather than taking. CyberCities makes the promise that commercial ads will never appear on member pages. WorldZone plans to go the advertising route, but promises to keep it simple and put its members first. In any event, there are much better places to live, with cheaper rent and better views, than the slum that is GeoCities.

 


Other Stuff
(as long as you're here)
 
Getting rid of annoying, intrusive ads (As well as the "AdForce Virus")
   
Internet Junkbuster  
@Guard  
InterMute  
 
AdsOff!  
Support The Cause with these button graphics
 
 
I Support Ad-Blocking Software
 
We Support Ad-Blocking Software
 
Responsibility in Internet Advertising - Grey Wastebasket Campaign
 
Supporting Responsible Internet Advertising
 
 
Put one on your website! Link them to http://webbsite.cjb.net if you want, or the download page of your favourite ad-blocker :)
 

Nomenclature  (Again, this information is provided only for completeness)
 
Names collected from newsgroups, Forums posts, etc.--What to call a watermark:
 

 


Two Hands In My Pockets (covering my cheeks):
Please note: The intent of this page is to express an opinion in a humorous and satirical manner. Expressing an opinion in a humorous and satirical manner (or any other manner, for that matter) is fully legal and protected by the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution. GeoCities is a trademark, servicemark, and/or WATERMARK of GeoCities Corp. Please see Page o' Disclaimers for even more fun.
 
The author of this page does not personally advocate sabotaging anything or anyone; information on how to disable advertising is provided, for completeness, for those who wish to implement it. (Although personally I don't see disabling ads as 'sabotage' so much as 'reasonable self-defense'...)