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Agreed. What the pollies should do is hire someone to create an AdBlock Plus for IE and then simply maintain a list of officially undesirable sites and list it here: http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions

eg. *.ru will filter all russian porn.

It would also give us the ability to subscribe/unsubscribe as we see fit and/or change the filter, which is what is needed anyhow

As it stands this filter of Rudd's is gonna suck. Don't worry, it won't get thru though.

I didn't see any on my side too.

I reported the problem to AdBlock Plus people in http://adblockplus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=21432 ... Other ComputerWeekly's image galleries have the same problem from http://www.computerweekly.com/Home/GalleryListingPage.aspx ...

Phillip, are you asking your friends' permission before you go madly about eliminating Flash from all your friends' machines? Or are you, as the AC implied, crippling your YouTube-using friends' computers because you personally don't like Flash? If your answer is the latter, you're an asshole. Just because you don't like Flash (or another software package), that doesn't mean you have the right to take it away from people who want or need some or all of Flash's features and (more importantly) have not given you permission to do so.

If eliminating ads is your friends' issue, the AdBlock Plus extension for Firefox (among others) does a "mostly better than fine" job of that --- it blocks Flash animations, images, Javascripts and about any other page element you can think of --- without taking away Flash functionality from people who actually want it.

... walks away muttering, "Ye gods! What kind of geek would actually take away software features a user wants? ... well, OK, Microsoft engineers but they really don't count as true geeks" ...

http://adblockplus.org/en/

Didn't notice - but I run Firefox with Adblock Plus.

Actually, Filterset.G is probably the problem if you're using AdBlock Plus with it. ABP gets bogged down by all the regex in Filterset.G. Try it with EasyList/EasyElement, it's a lot faster.

InPrivate Subscriptions

Users can augment the capability of InPrivate Blocking with InPrivate Subscriptions. Some users want to protect their privacy, but don't want to make granular decisions about content to block or allow. Users can delegate these decisions to publishers of InPrivate Subscriptions. Users can subscribe to a list the same way they add an Accelerator, Web Slice, or search provider to IE: by clicking a link on a web page and confirming that they want this functionality:

InPrivate Blocking Subscription Settings

Under the covers, InPrivate Subscriptions are simply RSS feeds of Regular Expressions that specify sub-downloads to block or allow. Anyone can publish an InPrivate Subscription on their website, just as they can offer an Accelerator or Web Slice on their website. We'll post details about the file format as part of the updated IE8 Developer's Guide with Beta 2.

This seems to be exactly how Adblock Plus works on Firefox. Subscriptions such as Filterset.G and Easylist could be used with little, if any, modification.

http://adblockplus.org/en/

Problem solved!

Seriously, blocking ads and javascript and flash stuff is like a game for me now, I get a little thrill of victory every time I block one of those things, it's great.

May I suggest a solution that's better, and doesn't leech?

Try NoScript - http://noscript.net/

It doesn't leech since static banner ads load up just fine, but NoScript blocks flash, java, and other plug-ins (PDF, etc) by default. It also disables javascript on a per-domain basis (plus detects and blocks XSS attacks).

And yet, if you want to see that YouTube video, just click the placeholder, and it'll ask if you really want to load whatever it is. For Javascript, click the icon and you can enable and disable the various scripts that may exist on a page (many across many domains). Nothing more fun than allowing javascript from the primary site, but disable javascript that loads ads and other junk.

Plus, having javascript off by default makes the web go much faster. It can always be re-enabled later on, leaving horrible CPU-wasting scripts from even running.

Me personally, I run a combination of FlashBlock + NoScript. This has a wierd effect as NoScript blocks the flash, click it, and then FlashBlock blocks it, then sometimes NoScript blocks it again. Sometimes a hassle, but saves me from inadvertent clicks.

The only XSS at times I find annoying is when purchasing from sites that use Paypal. But that's simply a click, then "Unsafe Reload" (reload the page with XSS), which fixes it.

It's amazing how many sites work great with NoScript, and how many sites are so poorly coded they need javascript to handle a hyperlink.

http://adblockplus.org/en/

Problem solved!

Seriously, blocking ads and javascript and flash stuff is like a game for me now, I get a little thrill of victory every time I block one of those things, it's great.

...With or without Yahoo's option.

AdBlock Plus

Filterset.G = old and busted.

http://adblockplus.org/en/faq_project#filterset.g

You might want to get your eyesight checked. [imageshack.us]

I just did. Still no ads...

Still no ads.

Try AdBlock Plus (with or without FilterSet.G).

You soon forget how bloody annoying the Internet has become until you're forced to use a browser without it installed.

Banner ads? What banner ads?

Well, like most of the security features Microsoft provides, IE zones are annoying and a pain to use properly. Firefox, by default, blocks most annoying Javascript behavior, but NoScript really takes it to the next level. If you ever find yourself on Firefox, you should try AdBlockPlus+NoScript. It's a pretty good combination and is very usable. See here and here for more information.

Interesting. I recalled for suite products, it needed /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins. :(

"Why is it impossible to install Adblock Plus into a SeaMonkey profile?

Unfortunately, Adblock Plus requires an XPCOM component to function and as of now SeaMonkey does not support installing these components into profile directory (bug 45701). Profile installation is only possible for extensions that don't need to install an XPCOM component. This will change with SeaMonkey 2.0 when the extension installation system from Firefox will be ported over to SeaMonkey..." from http://adblockplus.org/en/faq_install ...

Adblock plus deprecated filterset.g. That filterset caused too many problems for users, so adblock plus introduced new subscriptions that cause fewer problems and don't require additional components.

http://adblockplus.org/en/faq_project#filterset.g

In short: don't use filterset.g. Use Adblock Plus.

They all work, but it's actually recommended you don't use Filterset.g. I used to use it but switched to EasyList about a year ago when I read the developer's comments on it.

http://adblockplus.org/en/faq_project

You could always use Firefox and install the AdBlock Plus extension. http://adblockplus.org/en/

Sounds like your ad-blocker is not very good if you're seeing all these ads and videos. My browsing experience is very serene:
http://adblockplus.org/ plus http://noscript.net/

http://adblockplus.org/devbuilds/

rather annoyingly firefox beta5 isn't compatible with the mainstream release of adblock however the development build here works fine.

All i need now is a method to remove the gray tramlines running down the page on slashdot. the nesting soon reduces me to 20% width comment 20% side bar 60% tram line. god knows what mobile users get.

Open about:config

Add booleans extensions.checkCompatibility & extensions.checkUpdateSecurity and set to false

Multiple restarts

Get your dev build here: http://adblockplus.org/development-builds/more-firefox-3-fixes [adblockplus.org]

Adblock Plus still fails to install. /sigh

Any thoughts?

It seems I cannot locate the compatiblity check setting within about:config...

however to get it working:

- download the dev version of adblockplus from http://adblockplus.org/devbuilds/ (right-click "Save Link as")
- then extract the xpi (it's actually a zip file) you'll only need to edit the install.rdf file
- alter the file install.rdf (it is an XML file... if you're using windows, use wordpad, it's easier to read with correct line ends)
- find 3.0b5pre and replace with 3.0b5
- add the altered install.rdf file back into the xpi file, or recompress the whole thing
- type in the address to the altered xpi file in firefox ( e.g. in my case file:///D:/DOWNLOADS/adblockplus-0.7.5.3+.2008032513.xpi )
- install
- ????
- PROFIT!!

Dev builds, eh? Using the included update check, and the extensions site says otherwise.

Of course it does. You wouldn't expect dev builds to show up as updates for release versions,
would you?

Get your dev build here: http://adblockplus.org/development-builds/more-firefox-3-fixes

You might need to disable FF's internal compatibility check - which is no problem, ABP 0.7.5.3+.2008032513 works fine in FF3b5.

There's a special filter subscription for Adblock Plus to kill a lot of that tracking
stuff (webbugs, tracking scripts, etc.), the "ABP Tracking Filter" (see #3 on the left).

This of course doesn't make you anonymous online at all, but it helps against the worst
offenders and keeps your data out of their DBs.

(Full disclosure: I am a co-author of that list)

Oh, that greyed out box with the NoScript logo is a Flash movie?
Glad it got caught by NoScript rather than FlashBlock!
Yet, I wonder. Would AdBlock Plus have caught it if those two were disabled?

Web sites have ads? Who knew?

Anyway, good luck with your failing business model, newspapers! I'm sure the buggy whip manufacturers will have some words of comfort for you.

What ads?
http://adblockplus.org/en/

try AdBlock+, and stiffen it up with EasyList and EasyElement (URL: http://easylist.adblockplus.org/). And keep all updated....

I just checked. The "sponsor websites" ability has not been in Adblock Plus since 0.5. See this forum thread: http://adblockplus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5980#5980

its run on their (facebooks) servers, blockbuster then passes your cookie info to them (as the browser security model forbids facebook from accessing your blockbuster cookie)

here is the code that is embedded on the blockbuster site
http://www.facebook.com/beacon/beacon.js.php?source=5128113678

it can be blocked by the Firefox extension Adblock+ and adding the rule

*facebook*beacon*
or to stop other trackers as well (as the word beacon is a common tracking terminology)
*beacon*

regards
A

Google's AdWords system is pretty interesting. Advertisers can choose the most they're willing to spend on a single click, and the most they're willing to spend per day and per campaign. Google shows the ads on search engine results pages (SERPs) as well as on related websites that use AdSense. Ads that are viewed but not clicked don't cost a penny, but ads that are clicked cost up to the amount specified per click.

You don't necessarily pay as much as the maximum you specify. AdWords works like an auction - you bid on keywords and whoever pays the most is placed at the top of the page. If you specify $20 as the maximum click price and the next highest bidder specifies $10 then you will probably only pay $10.10 or so and still get to the top.

Click fraud is a huge issue since webmasters using AdSense are tempted to click their own ads to make money, but Google has some crafty ways to filter these clicks out. There's no telling whether a program like yours would be caught or not but it still runs the risk of costing someone a lot of money for nothing. In my opinion if you hate ads you should use something like AdBlock Plus to passively hide them instead of actively clicking them.

It comes down to one big case of "It's not fair, they're able to read my freely available content without being forced to watch my adverts or register their (fake) personal information".

If search engines follow this ACAP standard and no longer index more than a tiny snippet of the content, then nobody will be able to avoid adverts or avoid registration ever again.

You do know google serves large annoying flash-video based ads too, right?

Why, no. No I didn't

• Do I need Filterset.G updater?
• Filterset.G on Wikipedia
• Filterset.G - I call "bullshit"
• A not so short history of Adblock

• Do I need Filterset.G updater?
• Filterset.G on Wikipedia
• Filterset.G - I call "bullshit"
• A not so short history of Adblock

• Do I need Filterset.G updater?
• Filterset.G on Wikipedia
• Filterset.G - I call "bullshit"
• A not so short history of Adblock

From Adblock Plus FAQs:

...it is recommended not to use Filterset.G with Adblock Plus. There are several reasons for this: ...

In short, the Filterset.G extension duplicates functionality already in the Adblock Plus extension, it's slow, and it's harder to use. The filter subscriptions supplied by Adblock Plus are the recommended alternative.

Wladimir Palant, the driving force behind Adblock and Adblock Plus, doesn't want to get any cash for it.

There are ads on Slashdot?

Forget about using ad blocking software, instead use a Host file. Here's a good article on using one for Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File. Google has some links where you can download a Hosts file, all one is is a text file listing IP addies you want blocked.

Check the ad appearing next to this article: http://samwyse.googlepages.com/slashdot-autodesk.jpg

There are ads on Slashdot?

It's to the point that you will have to accept them just like TV commercials ...

Google: Do no evil.
is now changed to, "We want to be like the U.S. government."
Google: Do evil if it pays more.

In my opinion, this is the beginning of the end for Google, as the founders lose touch with reality and fly around in their huge corporate jets. If you want responsibility, don't depend on a billionaire to do the work.

Eventually, there will be a new search engine with no Flash ads, and everyone will use that. Eventually, people will say, "Google? What's that?"

The new profit-making Mozilla will probably try to get the U.S. government to ban NoScript and AdBlock Plus and FlashBlock.

The problem with ads is not that I don't like advertising. The problem with ads is that they are nearly always stupid in some way. Some of the ads IBM ran on Slashdot were more than stupid, they were embarassing.

Mostly, ads are written by people with absolutely NO interest in the product they are selling. I'm guessing that more than 50% of ads include at least some dishonesty. It is the ad makers that have given advertising a bad name.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, your usefulness to the world is coming to an end. Please find someone to carry on your original vision, and retire.

The guy who came up with the idea of Adblock deserves a nobel prize for allowing us to block all of this 'stuff'. Henrik Aasted Sorensen according to http://adblockplus.org/en/history.

Adblock plus also lets you block any flash objects.

This may not fall under "Do No Evil" as many will probably liken it to, but it certainly fucking sucks and shows that even with stock prices insanely high and revenue pouring in like mad, that they need to continue to do even more to support those corporate assholes running the show.

While I'm not a diehard Firefox fan I still do use it and suggest that everyone (if you haven't already) install AdBlock Plus. While it isn't going to make much of a difference in Google's bottom line, I really hope that someone comes up with another extension that sends an automated e-mail to Google for every single Flash ad the add-on blocked.

Bastards are getting worse and worse every day.

Why change for the content when you can change the content.

I switched my non-tech friends to Firefox or Seamonkey ages ago(depending on whether they still use regular email or webmail)and with the noscript+adblock plus I've found the rate of "computer is acting funny" calls have dropped way down.Hats off to the noscript and adblock plus guys.Keep up the good work!

And here are the links so you can simply copy/paste: Noscript-http://noscript.net/ Adblock plus-http://adblockplus.org/en/

Ah yes, bug 345529. If my Firefox instance isn't quite new I get the crash whenever adding an exception. I have also had some randomish crashes as well which have completely disappeared since removing Flashblock.

Luckily for me, removing Flashblock and leaving Adblock Plus doesn't seem to have negatively affecting my browsing experience much at all. EasyList does a great job here at blocking both flash and non-flash adverts.

I'm no longer concerned about not having Flashblock. The only real reason I used it was to stop YouTube videos playing automatically and now I've discovered TubeStop. Any site with flash that annoys me (advert or otherwise, typically unrequested sound) gets their tab closed. Problem solved.

If you are using Adblock, get the Adblock Filterset.G Updater (1). The other option is to get Adblock Plus (2) which lets you subscribe to filter lists (3).

Strange. I can't turn the text into links, so here they are:
1. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/113 6/
2. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/186 5/
3. http://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions/