danimal - 8:06 pm on Aug 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

>>>Fortunately, we won't have to, if past experience with "image ads" is any guide.<<<

not relevant, because video files are a whole lot bigger than still pics... as car guy inferred.

>>>But you and I probably don't belong to their target demographic.<<<

in the long run, that won't be relevant either... for now, the test sites are getting both content and ads handed to 'em on a silver platter, but the program will be much bigger than that:

"After the test with Viacom, which will start at the end of this month, Google hopes to allow any video programmer to use its system to distribute programming with advertising. It also plans to add ad-supported programs to its own video site... Mr. Schmidt said Google would try different formats for advertisements in its test with Viacom. These include traditional television commercials before or after the clip, as well as somewhat less intrusive formats like static images that appear on the screen when a clip is completed... Mr. Schmidt said that Google would eventually analyze information about the advertisement, the video program, the Web page on which the video appeared and its vast store of information about the behavior of users." -new york times