OT- unwanted ads.

[Baron Munchausen]

First recommendation: As others have already said, dump Internet Exploder. It's one big security hole. Opera and Mozilla/Firefox are much more secure, and also standards compliant browsers. This means they handle HTML in the way it was designed instead of in the 'special' way that MS has invented for itself. The more people use browsers that follow the standards, the less control MS will have over the web. So even if a few websites don't work for you in these other browsers, you should email them and complain that they need to use standard HTML rather than switch back to Internet Exploder.

Also, since MS is planning to add a popup blocker to IE soon, you can expect the ad-pushers to start exploiting all the other security holes in IE, like active-x. It will soon be a nightmare to try to surf with IE. (On the plus side, this will drive many more people to use Opera or Mozilla/Firefox! )

Second Recommendation: Also already said, get one of those nifty HOSTS files that turns addresses for major ad-servers into loop-backs and blocks them.

Third recommendation: Get Proxomitron! It's a 'proxy' that filters the HTML stream coming into your browser, or going out, and let's you control your Online experience. www.proxomitron.info is the site. The default config is pretty good, but it has a fairly comprehensive matching language and you can write very extensive custom filters -- or just get a set written by a third party. Not only can you block ads or snooping HTML and javascript, you can modify sites to look the way you want. I've got filters for Google, eBay, Yahoo! and various other sites that block annoying features or add useful functionality to the site (for instance, I can go directly to the image on Google Images rather than having to go through the stupid frame). I can't stand browsing without Proxomitron anymore.

[Captain Kwok]

I think in tools > internet options > advanced, there are options to play sounds/animations/videos.

[Atrocities]

Becareful some pop up adds are not what they seem. They are in fact programs that can cost you a lot of $$.

Some disconnect you and have your computer dial a nigerian phone company to get connected and then you get a huge phone bill. Don't believe me, do some checking.

Generally pop up ads should be viewed as viruses.

[Atrocities]

WATCH THIS You might need IE as NS does not open it correctly. Let me know what you think.

[ May 25, 2004, 23:59: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[Arkcon]

If you want to use the Proxomitron, but find all the options daunting, try this: {clicky}. Its a set of filters written for Proxomitron. I liked tinkering with Proxomitron, but this list made it such a breeze.

[ May 28, 2004, 21:53: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

[Randallw]

Originally posted by Arkcon:
I'm not positive, but the video ads may be Flash ads. My solution? I have never downloaded the Shockwave plugin. Yeah, that's a little severe, I know. I miss out on a game here and there, but it's sure to be pure ads in the near future.

I think you misunderstand. These aren't little flash ads but full videos (albeit 10-15 seconds) that appear in a full screen windoe with a play, pause and rewind buttons. They look like tv ads.

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Randallw:
I think you misunderstand. These aren't little flash ads but full videos (albeit 10-15 seconds) that appear in a full screen windoe with a play, pause and rewind buttons. They look like tv ads.

Hmmm... I haven't seen those. I do have Quicktime and I can't remove Windows Media Player, but I told Mozilla not to run those programs, so ...

Tell me, what web sites do you go to that forces these videos? When I had Comcast, their home page ran multiple Flash ads. When I removed Shockwave from my system, it would ask me 5 times to install it again.

Also Yahoo, had Flash ads. I was at work, trying to search for a vendor, and a Gateway computer starts hopping around the screen. So I can relate to something that's real annoying. Let me see what those sites do to me.

[ May 26, 2004, 15:56: Message edited by: Arkcon ]