What's the real deal with "pop-up" ads?

Serious question here.

Lately it seems that every time I go to certain on-line news websites, as soon as the page opens, so does a "pop-up" ad for some stupid product or service, usually in a location that prevents me from reading the story that I wanted to read, and sometimes even following the text as I try to scroll away from it.

This is easily one of the most annoying aspects of the internet, even coming in ahead of the ads that open other windows on my screen and force me to take the time to delete them every now and again.

So my question goes out to the businesses that hire the firms that create and place the pop-up ads: Do you idiots really expect me or anyone else to buy shit from you after you've stepped uninvited in between me and something that I wanted to read and basically put your hand over what I was trying to see until a clock runs down or i click on the "close" tab? I mean, think about it... You do about the rudest, most invasive thing that can be done over the internet, and you think that it's somehow going to make the people that you're screwing with want to give you money? Hell, the only reason that I do not use Netflix is because they were one of the first companies to hit me with unsolicited pop-up ads and also one of the most frequent invaders of my computer via their malicious adware. I would definitely have been a customer of theirs had they not done this, but not now...not until their damned ads quit popping up on my computer screen and I forget how much that they've annoyed me. Trust me--that sort of thing does not endear me to a company or make me want to patronize them.

Bottom line, advertisers...my computer is MINE. When you use invasive computer programs to put your advertising into it against my wishes, or when you put your stupid ads up on some page that I want to see and make me wait, I may be unable to punch your CEO in the face but I can definitely retaliate by not buying your product and I will do so on principle even if I otherwise like what you're offering.