Unresponsive script crap finally stopped for me about 15 min ago, yay! Now I can waste time more efficiently.
Yes, it’s working for me again.
Viglink when they first installed it would count the click and would then forward you to the destination link, and that was all it did. The SDMB then gets some amount of money (I have no idea how much) from all of the clicks that are counted.
At some point, viglink’s behavior changed. Now it will make links where none existed, and sometimes even changes links to point to links to products from their customers who pay them money. As far as I’m concerned, this puts it into malware territory. I say Kill it. Kill it with fire (not that I have any actual say in whether or not we use it here, because I don’t).
Everyone gets viglink, even members and charter members. It’s not treated as an “ad” in that sense.
The hosts file trick works. So does adding it to your ad blocker or using a script blocker. Note that a script blocker will break certain features of the SDMB though. I have an exception to allow boards.straightdope.com on my system.
You can opt out of viglink as well, but that won’t help you when viglink has a problem on their end which is causing your computer to wait an excessive amount of time for a response from viglink’s system.
Same here. I’m on Firefox.
I had this problem…but it seems to have gone away. Hooray for the SDMB tech guys! Ya fixed it!
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Simms
Ooo, everyone look at Mr. I Can Speak Welsh.
Good for you buddy, now take off with that crap and speak Canadian!
ObPedant: Android, based on the Linux kernel, does have a hosts file. It’s even in the same place as any Linux system: /etc/hosts
But you can’t edit it unless you’ve rooted your phone. So, for most Android users, it’s a distinction without a practical difference.
ETA: For those who have rooted their phone, there are adblockers that build a adblocking hosts file from contributions from multiple ad-blocking data collection web sites and implements it on your hosts file. And update this periodically. And run an internal web server to redirect those hosts to, so that instead of timeouts you get empty http returns for the advertisement elements. Example: AdAway
You won’t find those on the official Play store, because they’re inimical to Google’s actual goal: sell to advertisers lots of advertising targeting [del]suckas[/del] Android users. So you have to sideload, another risk element beyond rooting. Worth it in my judgment for my phone.
There is a hosts file on android tablets.
Modifying it isn’t quite as easy as it is on a windows computer. Probably the easiest way is to download ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and transfer the file to your computer, edit it, then push it back onto your android (again using ADB).
Not fixed for me as of Thursday am.
Firefox.
Can you do that without root? If so, I could actually get some adblocking in that might work better than any of the adblock apps.
But I just assumed /etc/hosts would be administrator only like on desktops.
All last night i could get on, but none if the links would work, like New Posts or Search. Just nothing. No notifications, just did nothing.
Yes, same here. Yesterday I could not access the board and gave up.
Not being able to access the board and not being able to click on links are two separate problems. A problem with board access hanging up from a script is likely an ad problem. Link problems almost always involve viglink.
I don’t see ads, as a member. So how is viglink to blame for my links not working?
Viglink never displays ads on the page and isn’t considered an “ad” for purposes of whether or not it is served to you as a member. The viglink script runs for everyone, regardless of whether they are a guest, member, charter member, or anything else.
When viglink was originally installed, all it did was count the click, then forwarded you to the link. These days, it sometimes makes links where none existed before and if it detects a link to a product, it will redirect you to the same product sold at one of viglink’s customer’s sites. Changing and redirecting links makes me classify it as malware.
I mentioned in another thread that Reddit got rid of Viglink, too, since everyone complained.
Working okay now.
Okay…so…what?
Are wesupposed to fix it? You’re gonna be looking into fixing it? Nothing can be done?
Tough darts?
We at the moderation level don’t have any control over the advertising, viglink, etc. The only thing I can tell you is how to block it so that it doesn’t cause problems on your computer (ad blocker, killing it via hosts file, script blocker, etc).