hi. i'm sure TB already knows about this, but....
there is a free and easy way to stop the little ad banners from appearing on your webpages while you browse. this method works for Win, Mac, and Linux. There is a little file in your computer called "hosts" that helps your browsers navagate the internet (doesn't matter which browser you use either). in windows (that's what i use) it is located in the Windows directory. this file is kind of a shortcut file for your browser. it contains internet address numbers (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) and its corresponding URL (www.webpage.com). if a URL with its internet number is in that list, your browser wil go to that number instead of asking the server to convert the URL to the internet number for the browser. its meant to be a time saver for frequently used sites.
the cool thing is that this file can be used to block sites too. i just started using it, and instead of ads, i see blank spaces where they used to be. saves some time, since my computer is not downloading garbage. basically, intstead of being directed to the add server, my browser is tricked to look at itself. it never accesses the net for that image and then displays a blank frame where the add should have been. haven't seen a single add image for about a week now. i added the URL for the adserver that parachat uses, and the one that yahoo uses to the list and now i get popups that don't show anything. sometimes you get a text hyperlink instead, but that is about it. this would be especially handy for modem users!
there is a really nice website that explains the "hosts" file, explains where it is for each operating system and how to modify it, and also gives a free Hosts file list of adservers. you copy that list, open the hosts file, paste it right in there, save it and it works immediately.
heres the link: www.accs-net.com/hosts/.
hope this helps. please let me know if anyone gives this a try.
jim
there is a free and easy way to stop the little ad banners from appearing on your webpages while you browse. this method works for Win, Mac, and Linux. There is a little file in your computer called "hosts" that helps your browsers navagate the internet (doesn't matter which browser you use either). in windows (that's what i use) it is located in the Windows directory. this file is kind of a shortcut file for your browser. it contains internet address numbers (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) and its corresponding URL (www.webpage.com). if a URL with its internet number is in that list, your browser wil go to that number instead of asking the server to convert the URL to the internet number for the browser. its meant to be a time saver for frequently used sites.
the cool thing is that this file can be used to block sites too. i just started using it, and instead of ads, i see blank spaces where they used to be. saves some time, since my computer is not downloading garbage. basically, intstead of being directed to the add server, my browser is tricked to look at itself. it never accesses the net for that image and then displays a blank frame where the add should have been. haven't seen a single add image for about a week now. i added the URL for the adserver that parachat uses, and the one that yahoo uses to the list and now i get popups that don't show anything. sometimes you get a text hyperlink instead, but that is about it. this would be especially handy for modem users!
there is a really nice website that explains the "hosts" file, explains where it is for each operating system and how to modify it, and also gives a free Hosts file list of adservers. you copy that list, open the hosts file, paste it right in there, save it and it works immediately.
heres the link: www.accs-net.com/hosts/.
hope this helps. please let me know if anyone gives this a try.
jim
