Stop ads w/ HOSTS File

[spetnik]

stop ads from showing up in your browser by appending this text to your HOSTS file (located in windows directory). You won't believe how this will increase download speed on a dial-up modem.
feel free to post any more hosts that i missed:

127.0.0.1	       ads.msn.com
127.0.0.1	       adex3.flycast.com
127.0.0.1	       view.avenuea.com
127.0.0.1	       servedby.advertising.com
127.0.0.1	       media.fastclick.com
127.0.0.1	       global.msads.net
127.0.0.1	       exitstitial.gopher.com
127.0.0.1	       server2007.virtualave.net
127.0.0.1	       ads.web.aol.com
127.0.0.1	       popup.msn.com
127.0.0.1	       ads.x10.com
127.0.0.1	       a1964.g.akamai.net
127.0.0.1	       sprfetch.about.com
127.0.0.1	       adpop.theglobe.com
127.0.0.1	       adcontroller.unicast.com
127.0.0.1	       sprinks.about.com
127.0.0.1	       media.admonitor.net

Appending this to your HOSTS file will tell your browser that when downloading from these locations, goto 127.0.0.1 (your local machine) instead of downloading off the web. This way it only downloads the content you wish to see

[CiberTHuG]

Will it not waste time looking for an ad that isn't on localhost?

[spetnik]

it shouldnt. but even if it does, that is not using your modem's bandwidth, so the page will continue loading.

[chrisjk]

do you mean hosts.sam in Win dir Spetnik?

[spetnik]

hosts.sam is the sample file. HOSTS is the actual file. If it does not exist, create it.

[CiberTHuG]

Originally posted by spetnik
it shouldnt. but even if it does, that is not using your modem's bandwidth, so the page will continue loading.

Ah, MODEM, those were the good old days. 14.4, 9600... yeah... don't have one of them.

I was in an apartment with a T1, but now I'm moving into a house with a cable MODEM. Cuts my speed nearly in half. And I lose my static IP since I have Time "Rape 'em in the Ass" Warner.

I'll have to play around with the host file, but I think it will slow me down since it will have to wait for a timeout from localhost: "Hey, I ain't got your ads."

'Course, removing ads is a virtue in and off itself, but if you want speed: Opera!!! I'm telling you, we need to all get behind it and make sure it is stable, standard, and bug free.

Pay the extra money and you can get the version without the add, or just run full screen.

[Fox]

Better tip:

Disable JavaScript and you won't get anymore ads / poups / frames / banners

[CiberTHuG]

Heh... it doesn't slow me down.

But I wouldn't disable JavaScript. JavaScript is a good technology, some people just use it for evil.

I wonder if there is a DB of ad sites kind of like the open relay DBs.

I wonder how long it will take sites like ads.msn.com to just use www.msn.com/ads.

[spetnik]

yes u will still get reg. banners
and... i use javascript for other things, so its not very practical

[Fox]

well me too, I just add these sites to the lower security list

[spetnik]

but how do u stop regular banner ads that are just <img> tags?

[denniswrenn]

hook the browser, get the content of the html page, check if the image between <img> is evil(an ad), if so, then just remove that line, and send the page back to the browser! Simple 'nuff

[spetnik]

right, dennis. Thats great. You know what? I think I want another useless app running. I mean, I sometimes have a whole 5 minutes where I don't crash. Lemme use a hook app. That way I'll crash every 3 minutes. Perfect.

[barrk]

by CiberThug
Man, sarcasm is so deep you could float a VB Coder's ego in here.

[Jethro]

Ok fine, but how do l keep all the adds except for the nuddy photo sites from popping up.

[JungleMan]

I might just have a little TOO much fun with this one!

Thanks spetnik i never knew you could do that!

[spetnik]

Originally posted by Jethro
Ok fine, but how do l keep all the adds except for the nuddy photo sites from popping up.

use my new COM object:

Dim objPicCheck As nudePhotoChecker
    
    Set objPicCheck = nudePhotoChecker
 
    For Each pic In pornSiteWindow.Pictures
        If objPicCheck.isHot (pic) Then
            pic.Visible = True
        Else
            pic.Visible = False
        End If
    Next

[CiberTHuG]

Wow, I'm being quoted cross-threads.