OStatic

By Peter Brook on May. 17, 2008

This is actually easier than you think!

You can just add entries to your hosts file. This tricks your browser into loading a local file anytime any ad server URL in your hosts file shows up (of course, you can have ANY urls in there).

If you are on a windows box, you have to add entries to the hosts file that can be found at "\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts". It is here on XP - not sure about Vista.

You can find several sample hosts files, and then append to this file as things change, and you find ads you want to block.

Here's a good starting list:

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

By an anonymous user on May. 18, 2008

Adblock Plus is one of the best - make sure you have a subscription to EasyList or similar, which ensure you get updated ad-filtering rules.

By jeremy koempel on May. 18, 2008

If you're on a Mac and use Safari, I use http://safariadblock.sourceforge.net/ it works quite well.

By jeremy koempel on May. 18, 2008

If you're on a Mac and use Safari, I use http://safariadblock.sourceforge.net/ it works quite well.

By OSAf W on May. 19, 2008

Adblock Plus works most of the time on most of the ads. The EasyList currently tracks a very large number of ad service providers. But there could be many more out there and I too have had cases when the ads still persisted.

But the extension provides a very simple way of teaching itself with some help from you. Over the period of time I have added more sites or URLs to the list of blockable items. And that is the trick to get its best.

The procedure is simple right click on an item and add that url. But it might not capture new items - and thats where a little bit of regular expression comes to help. just adding a star (*) to the folder of the originating item will ensure that none from that folder or site is displayed.

eg.:

Offending url: http://ads.ads.com/images/graphic_ad.jpg

The URL to be added:

http://ads.ads.com/images/*

Another issue with AdBlockPlus is that some framed flash ads cant be right clicked. The trick here is to reach the URL for that item. Since you are already using FF its easier. Select the region including some text around it and right click to view selected source. Find the offending URL and use the procedure above.

Over a period of time you would see that you would have been able to get most of the ads out of your browser from most of the sites you visit.

By Ketan Zhaveri on May. 19, 2008

Thanks. This is really helpful.