12-01-2005, 09:14 PM | #1 |
Kersal Massive
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Top tip for anyone annoyed by ads
I have a shockingly slow computer, so Flash-y banner ads aren't just annoying in themselves, they're annoying because they slow my computer to a crawl. I don't mind normal ads - they make money for the originating web site after all - but Flash ads annoy the piss out of me.
Imagine my surprise when I found a way of getting rid of Flash ads - in Internet Explorer! Microsoft must have added this in XP SP2, because I've never seen it before. Anyway, it's great. Go to the Tools menu and choose "Manage Add-Ons". From there, just choose "Shockwave Flash Object" and click Disable. Simple! 'Course, you'll have to re-enable it when you actually want Flash. A better solution is to use the "FlashBlock" plugin with Firefox, but for those too lazy to make the switch or who just prefer good old Internet Exploder, this works fine. The ad hounds can even tell you've done it (somehow!), and you get animated GIF versions of the ads instead - so the site you're on doesn't lose out. Hope someone finds this useful, anyway. It's revolutionised my AG forums experience! |
12-02-2005, 01:11 PM | #2 |
Rattenmonster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 10,404
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Good suggestion. What a surprise, for IE to have something useful!
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12-02-2005, 02:11 PM | #3 |
delusions of adequacy
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 1,403
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If you're on a mac and using the rather simplistic (but still nice) Safari browser, SAFT is worth having a look at. It does quite a lot to the safari experience but manages to keep it all under the hood rather than make a garish show of its improvements.
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12-02-2005, 03:09 PM | #4 | |
Ale! And keep 'em coming!
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Really, that *is* a surprise. I believe they must have made a mistake...they can't possibly have intended to be user-friendly. -
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- "esc(x) cot(x) dx = -csc(x)!" Dennis added, and the wizard's robe caught on fire. "Gosh," Dennis said, "and some people say higher math isn't relevant." >>>Inventor of the Mail order-Assassin<<< And *This*...is a Black Hole - BYE! |
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12-02-2005, 03:12 PM | #5 | |
The Threadâ„¢ will die.
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Hasn't IE had the option to disable flash for ages?
Or am I just going crazy? Quote:
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12-02-2005, 03:17 PM | #6 | |
Ale! And keep 'em coming!
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Beyond the Pattern of Reality...or Germany
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Psst! Not too loud. We don't want them to remove that bug. -
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- "esc(x) cot(x) dx = -csc(x)!" Dennis added, and the wizard's robe caught on fire. "Gosh," Dennis said, "and some people say higher math isn't relevant." >>>Inventor of the Mail order-Assassin<<< And *This*...is a Black Hole - BYE! |
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12-02-2005, 03:18 PM | #7 | |
Beyond Belief
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Blighty
Posts: 2,186
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I was able to add css code into Opera, then by using the menu script I added a toggle menu item to activate/deactivate it. Opera has had the same feature as IE for aslong as I've been using it, but this way you don't disable the plugin, just filter out any flash objects when you want to from the menu.
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12-02-2005, 03:20 PM | #8 |
Diva of Death
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You always could disable Flash in IE, yes, but you had to wade through several menus and tabs and check boxes to do so. You also had to restart the browser, IIRC, it's been a while. This sounds a bit easier.
Of course, what I like about Opera is... you can just surf with plug-ins off, then when you hit a page where you want them on you just hit F12, click the menu option, and refresh the page. Then you can hit F12 and click the menu option off again. Takes about 5 seconds. Even better, I hear the next version has site-specific settings... AFAIK, Firefox is just as easy in its own way. Tell me, why do people use IE again? Peace & Luv, Liz
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Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals." |
12-02-2005, 03:22 PM | #9 | |
The Threadâ„¢ will die.
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12-02-2005, 03:32 PM | #10 |
Beyond Belief
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Blighty
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Enable third-party browser extensions was available in IE before, but you couldn't individually disable those extensions.
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12-02-2005, 04:32 PM | #11 | |
Rattenmonster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Francisco
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12-03-2005, 05:42 AM | #12 | |
Kersal Massive
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I don't think we in the UK get any of the really annoying ads, either, although of course I can't really tell now.... |
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12-03-2005, 08:15 AM | #13 | |
Feind der Anonymitaet!
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Yes, the list of reasons I dislike FireFox are growing. You guys can keep it. I don't care for it. I just love how every thread about IE gets turned into a bashing. As for disabling Flash entirely... er... *peers at statement of "'Course, you'll have to re-enable it when you actually want Flash."* ...WHY? Why would you want Flash? *shudder* Or JavaScript on 99.9% of all sites.
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"Me pee stick bigger you pee stick." (credit to, but not attributed to, Jeysie) "Don't be careful, be immortal." Bratâ„¢, certified as by Trep Winner of the Second-Best-Dressed and Non-Specific awards in the Unbiased Impostor Awardsâ„¢, amongst many others. Non-Conformist to Non-Conformismâ„¢ Internet Explodifierâ„¢ - the best weapon of mass destruction!!!11one Trademark Overuserâ„¢ |
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12-03-2005, 08:31 AM | #14 |
Diva of Death
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Heh. Well, I can't speak for Firefox, since I don't use it (I dislike the idea of plugins, I'd rather have functionality built in...) However, AFAIK IE doesn't handle XML properly either... not according to spec, anyway.
(I have to admit that your desktop/program files problem baffles me a bit. Erm, don't pretty much *all* Windows programs install to Program Files and create shortcuts? About the only ones that don't are the (unfortunately) very rare self-contained ones.) I will say that in the case of your plugins, however, it's the fault of the people who make crappy plugins, not the fault of the browser. Which brings me to... As for why people would want to use Flash, it's great when used for what it should be used for, stuff like games, movies, and interfaces that can't be done with basic (X)HTML and DOM stuff. Ditto for javascript, it's great when used to enhance web functionality in ways that basic (X)HTML can't do. In short, don't fault the usefulness of a technology because people abuse it in stupid ways. Peace & Luv, Liz P.S. I personally bash IE because everything it does there are other browsers that do better and with IMHO fewer problems. Furthermore those other browsers do helpful things IE doesn't. Even furthermore, since IE doesn't follow standards and uses lots of proprietary stuff, there are so many shortsighted webmasters out there who blindly code only for IE, and it interferes with those of us who want to be able to choose which browser we use.
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Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals." |
12-03-2005, 08:38 AM | #15 | |||||
Feind der Anonymitaet!
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Edit: I think I have to add this in since people like to assume because I detest FireFox, I love IE. This is not true. FireFox has betrayed my initial trust in it on various points, and since then it's just been a pain in the arse for me. So for all intents and purposes, IE is better for me, as a user. But better does not mean best. And I'm never going to claim that unless I've gone and worked with other browsers (e.g. Opera). You know what my sigline about IE is? FireFox groupieism parody. Nothing else. You'd think the way I worded it would make it obvious, but apparently not
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"Me pee stick bigger you pee stick." (credit to, but not attributed to, Jeysie) "Don't be careful, be immortal." Bratâ„¢, certified as by Trep Winner of the Second-Best-Dressed and Non-Specific awards in the Unbiased Impostor Awardsâ„¢, amongst many others. Non-Conformist to Non-Conformismâ„¢ Internet Explodifierâ„¢ - the best weapon of mass destruction!!!11one Trademark Overuserâ„¢ |
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12-03-2005, 08:41 AM | #16 |
Beyond Belief
Join Date: Jan 2005
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So Firefox installs icons on the desktop, and has a few extensions that aren't very good. While Internet Explorer has had many security incidents, some with less than imediate action, while being labelled "critical". Yet still manages to be the least standards compliant browser out of Opera, Firefox, and Safari.
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Richard Dawkins :: AAI 07 :: NOVA ID on Trial :: Skeptic's Guide :: Beyond Belief :: Out Campaign :: NeuroLogica :: Skepticality |
12-03-2005, 08:43 AM | #17 |
Feind der Anonymitaet!
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Aj, read my edit. And on top of that, FireFox also managed to NOT import my IE security settings like it said it would. So I had to disable JavaScript all over again. No, it's betrayed my trust to often. It's apparently safe, yes? Very apparently. I'm NEVER going to trust it. It's done too many errors even just installing itself.
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"Me pee stick bigger you pee stick." (credit to, but not attributed to, Jeysie) "Don't be careful, be immortal." Bratâ„¢, certified as by Trep Winner of the Second-Best-Dressed and Non-Specific awards in the Unbiased Impostor Awardsâ„¢, amongst many others. Non-Conformist to Non-Conformismâ„¢ Internet Explodifierâ„¢ - the best weapon of mass destruction!!!11one Trademark Overuserâ„¢ |
12-03-2005, 08:58 AM | #18 | |||
Diva of Death
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If I had to guess, they did it to make it more user-friendly... it's usually not the computer-saavy folk that alternative browsers need to worry about wooing, it's the people out there who treat their computers like mysterious black boxes. Quote:
As for importing IE security options... er, I have to admit I don't understand why you'd *want* to. FF and Opera handle various security settings much differently (and IMHO better) than IE does. There are reasons to dislike FF, I'm just not sure the ones you're choosing are ones I agree with. Peace & Luv, Liz
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Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals." |
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12-03-2005, 09:02 AM | #19 |
Beyond Belief
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Blighty
Posts: 2,186
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What errors? Installing icons?
Perhaps your individual experiences, that you don't even seem to care how they came to be, have made you somehow hateful of a browser. Even so much as to criticize the standards compliance and security, while the evidence is stacked towards the opposite conclusion. Security experts recommend Firefox, sure you can make IE safe by disabling everything, but that just makes the benefits of Firefox so much greater.
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Richard Dawkins :: AAI 07 :: NOVA ID on Trial :: Skeptic's Guide :: Beyond Belief :: Out Campaign :: NeuroLogica :: Skepticality |
12-03-2005, 09:04 AM | #20 | |
Feind der Anonymitaet!
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And how is 'giving someone the option' to not have those icons flying around and then ignoring what was chosen userfriendly? *doesn't get that argument*
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"Me pee stick bigger you pee stick." (credit to, but not attributed to, Jeysie) "Don't be careful, be immortal." Bratâ„¢, certified as by Trep Winner of the Second-Best-Dressed and Non-Specific awards in the Unbiased Impostor Awardsâ„¢, amongst many others. Non-Conformist to Non-Conformismâ„¢ Internet Explodifierâ„¢ - the best weapon of mass destruction!!!11one Trademark Overuserâ„¢ |
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