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Windows 8 Changes Host File Blocking

Posted by samzenpus on from the try-it-like-this dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Windows 8 has been confirmed to not only ignore, but also modify the hosts file. As soon as a website that should be blocked is accessed, the corresponding entry in the hosts file is removed, even if the hosts file is read-only. The hosts file is a popular, cross-platform way of blocking access to certain domains, such as ad-serving websites."

8 of 1,030 comments (clear)

  1. How will APK react to this? by metrix007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    APK's sole existence seems to be reliant on advocating the hosts file as a means of host filtering, despite more modern, flexible, easier, convenient and powerful alternatives existing.

    How will APK stay relevant with the demise of the hosts file in Windows 8? Stay tuned....

    --
    If you ignore ACs because they are anonymous - you're an idiot.
    1. Re:How will APK react to this? by couchslug · · Score: 1, Funny

      There are many ways to maintain a CleanPC.

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  2. Adobe's Activation Servers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Prepare them for the shitstorm.

  3. Re:was going to buy, not interested now by artor3 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Were you really? Why?

  4. Even Microsoft couldn't put up with his posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Microsoft did this to purposely piss of APK, because even they could stand seeing his posts despite his praise for their products. They knew that using the host file was still a good idea and made sure there was a work around. They just wanted to make sure there were more hoops to jump through to make APK dance a little more.

  5. Re:Another reason... by AK+Marc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is "laptop3.fakedomain.local" reachable from a root DNS server? No? Then this won't affect you. But if you block adsense.com or whatever, even on a hosts file, you will be affected. The best fix is for someone to start up an ad-blocking DNS server that will block the ones people want blocked, and if you want to use it, you point your computers to it. The problem is, it'll be ad supported from the DNS errors, causing the heads of all the users to explode.

    --
    Learn to love Alaska
  6. Re:Another reason... by DarwinSurvivor · · Score: 3, Funny

    Find me an employee that spends "20 minutes a day" on Facebook, and I'll show you an employee that is better at hiding the other 3 hours they spent on Facebook than you are at detecting it.

  7. Re:Another reason... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I use it to stop Mom from reading my blog.

    As far as she is aware my "awful site" as been offline since May.