The title says it all, really. Is it against board policy for me to post instructions for circumventing the ads? How 'bout linking to a page with said instructions? Linking to a site that links to a site that does it (two-click rule and all)? What about giving information on programs that have the same effect? Will this get me banned or just dirty looks from the powers that be?
What about stating that I’m blocking the ad content without providing information on how to do so?
Given how many people have explained how to circumvent the ads without getting a warning, I’d say you are. But that’s just my guess.
Daniel
They’ve shut down a thread on that topic already. I’m not sure if it’s been disappeared or not.
They shut one down that told how to circumvent, and also advocated a means to sabotage the program. I think it was the latter, not the former, that led to the shutdown. (If you’re talking bout a different thread, my apologies).
Daniel
We have no objection to posting instructions on how to avoid seeing ads. To make life simpler for all concerned, instructions should be posted in one thread on ATMB. Links to this thread may be posted in other threads if someone asks. Please don’t put the link in your sig, go out of your way to make sure everyone knows how to circumvent ads, or attempt to organize a “don’t click” campaign - after all, we hope to derive revenue from clicks.
Any attempt to sabotage Google ads or get Google ticked off at us by posting pornography, hacking instructions, etc., will be considered vandalism of the site and is grounds for banning without warning.
Thanks for the clarification, Ed. I’m (mildly) again’ the ads, but I think you’ve handled the onslought of criticism with a damned bit of good manners.
The rules about porn and hacking don’t directly effect us, but Google’s policies have been posted, and among other things, according to those policies we’re not allowed to defame Google. While I’m not a paranoiac, there’s a number of groups out there growing more and more concerned with the privacy implications of Google. If you’re encouraging us to toe the line regarding Google’s Adsense policies, it sounds as if we wouldn’t be able to discuss that matter.
In fact, what you’re saying in the quoted bit seems to me like it’s edging close to contradicting what you said before about not tolerating any attempt at censorship from Google. Which is it?
I don’t believe either of the two things Ed said not to post would have been allowed here previously anyhow.
Where did I say anything about your not being able to discuss Google AdSense policies? I mentioned porn and hacking instructions, things we don’t allow anyway. If we start getting notes from Google saying we can’t allow anyone to criticize them, this would strike at the heart of what we do here on the SDMB and I for one would not be party to it.
Why in god’s name would anybody be interested in instructions circumventing the ads?
All one has to do is not look at them.
Then the terrorists will have won.
Mama always told me that takin’ the easy way out would lead to no good.
That’s a lot easier to do when they’re not there to look at.
In any case, I’m glad the SDMB has started inserting ads; I hadn’t previously been motivated to look into ways to block ad content, but now I’ve got a flashy new hosts file that took about fifteen seconds to implement and should keep me from viewing most ads on most sites.
I keep seeing references to changing the hosts files. Could someone post a simple, easy to follow, step-by-step “How to Change Your Host File For Dummies” for those of us who aren’t really sure what a host file is or where it’s located?
To explain the hosts file: First, a bit of background about how the Internet works. A server’s real name isn’t the word-name that you’re familiar with, like boards.straightdope.com. The server’s real name is a string of numbers, like 207.97.195.229 . Whenever you type in a word-name, your computer contacts a computer called a domain name server, or DNS, and asks that server what the number is for that server.
Enter the hosts file. The hosts file stores a list of server names and their numeric addresses, right on your own computer. If a server’s name is listed in your hosts file, then your computer doesn’t need to ask a DNS for the address, it just looks it up in the hosts file. Originally, the purpose for this was to make it easier to access commonly-used sites. But the information in the hosts file doesn’t have to be accurate. If you put in a server name and the wrong address, your computer won’t be able to access that server. In particular, if you put in the name of an advertising server, you won’t see any ads from that server.
If you already have a hosts file, it’ll be in your Windows directory. It’s a plain-text file, but the full name is just “hosts”, with no .txt or other extension. If you have it, open it up in Notepad. If not, then open a new file in Notepad. Either way, you’ll add a new line to the file for every server you want to block. A line might look something like this:
ads.doubleclick.com 127.0.0.1
ads.doubleclick.com is one of the more common advertising servers, and 127.0.0.1 is the numeric address that means your own computer (hence why some SDMB members have 127.0.0.1 listed as their location). But of course, your own computer is not really ads.doubleclick.com, so if that’s where your computer is looking for the ads, it’s not going to find them.
Now, save that file, back in your Windows directory. If you created a new file with Notepad, it probably took the liberty of sticking .txt on the end of the file name. If so, edit the name to remove the extension (Windows will ask you if you’re sure that’s a good idea; it is).
This is where I got the hosts file I’m using now. You can either open up your hosts file (it’s in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc) and copy and paste the file from his page, or you can use his installer, which will do it for you. Either way, you won’t see many ads on any page afterwards.
Personally, I use Mozilla Firefox with the AdBlocker extension installed. I see a ‘sponsored links’ post at the end of each page, but it’s blank, no ads appear.
I get the same result with the HOSTS file I already had in place for many months, as I said in this thread (with links to instructions). My post hasn’t been deleted yet.
Forgive me if stupid, but once you’ve got the hosts file in place, or updated, or whatever - when/how does it take effect?
It takes effect immediately – just make sure you clear your temporary internet files, like it said on the page Catalyst linked to. As for the how – basically, like Chronos was saying, your computer tries to look for the specified server in the wrong place. This results in your browser displaying “Page Cannot Be Found” in the space where the banner ad should be, though I’ve noticed with some ads (like Google) the ad just doesn’t display; there’s no filler.