Banner ads are good if they generate capital and bring people to their specific site. Most stats show this is not so. I'm inclined to look for someone's store when I see their name advertised or given credit to on a piece of art. The newsletter (I love receiving it) advertises the market place as does the home page of renderosity. I will give renderosity credit for having the least obtrusive banners I've seen in a long, long while. I guess I just really miss the "old" internet when there were more home pages and less advertising!