Sorry, not savvy enough to know what host files are, or script blocker for that matter. Much less what I should do with them.
I’ve never had to have ad blocker as I pay to NOT see ads.
Are you saying I still need ad blocker?
And, am I understanding correctly, that TPTB have no control over ads that cause links like New Posts, or Search, to become non functional?
And it’s on the paying members to find a work around?
Well I agree the SDMB should provide more help esp. for paying members, but elbows, how do you navigate the internet without an ad blocker? 'Cause it’s not just SDMB that has ads.
Host files are admittedly a bit techy.
A domain like boards.straightdope.com is meaningless to a computer. The computer has to convert the domain name to numbers that it can use. This is called domain name resolution. This starts by looking in your hosts file. The hosts file was mostly used back in the early days of computer networking. Most people don’t have anything useful in their hosts files these days. If no entry is found in the hosts file, the computer sends a DNS (domain name service) request to whatever computer is configured as that computer’s DNS server, which is typically a computer on the internet provider’s network (in other words, if Comcast provides your internet, the DNS server will be a computer on Comcast’s network). DNS is a hierarchy of computers. If the ISP’s computer doesn’t have an entry for the name, it sends the request further up the hierarchy. At the top there are 13 “root servers” for the entire internet. These computers have the master list of all domain names. If they don’t have an entry for it, then the request fails. There is nothing above those servers.
One way to kill off spam sites is to put an entry for them in your hosts file, and give it an IP of either 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0. The IP address 127.0.0.1 is called the “loopback address” and always points to your own computer. 0.0.0.0 means that it’s an invalid IP address and can’t be resolved. If you use the loopback address, the request for the spam link goes to your own computer. Since your computer doesn’t have the file that the spam link is trying to load, the request fails and you don’t get the spam. If you use the 0.0.0.0 IP then the request immediately fails, and you don’t get the spam. Either way, you don’t get the spam.
Hosts files weren’t originally intended to be used to block things, but this works pretty effectively.
Sorry if that’s all a bit technical.
Hosts files were invented on unix machines, so on linux and all other unix derivatives, the hosts file is in \etc\hosts. Windows, despite being very much not unix based, kinda follows the unix convention, except they stick the file in their drivers directory. But it’s in windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.
Ad blockers and script blockers are typically add-ons to your browser and are much easier to install. I personally recommend using an ad blocker everywhere on the internet, not just for here. I also use a script blocker, but that requires a bit more fiddling on your part because blocking scripts universally tends to break a lot of web sites, so you have to know what you can allow to make the sites work without universally allowing scripts which brings in the bad with the good.
Moderators here can report problem ads, but otherwise we have absolutely no control over ads.
The problem returned toward the end of my session last night. Working okay so far this morning.
I am still seeing a lot of spinning beach balls (Mac)
It’s coming and going here. Started again this morning, then stopped again. Is it like that for everyone else, or pretty steady?
I don’t ever get spam, or malware, period! (Because I don’t, ‘like’, ‘rate us’ or offer my email address ANYWHERE!)
And the only place I have EVER had an issue with ads, is this board. Why should I have to get an ad blocker when I only have a problem here? (I don’t mind ads on other sites as they never produce hinky board behaviour like here.) Where I pay NOT to deal with ads! That’s JUST crazy to me!
“Sorry if that’s a bit technical.”
This is a hysterical understatement for me. It might as well have been in Greek!
(I have a terrible time doing all the ‘but it’s so easy’ things that tech nerds find intuitive and self evident. I don’t have a tech mind, sorry. And I don’t tinker with my device set up because there is no 11 yr old at hand to save me when it goes awry. (Always!) I need my device, have several things pending, and can’t risk screwing it up and having it unusable till I can get out to the mall and the Apple store. )
I realise this leaves me open to being harshly judged a tech idiot, (so spare me the commentary on my ineptness - I am fully aware!)
I’ll just offer my thoughts then slink away. I need to accept that I just don’t have the skill set this site now requires. And am not enjoying the frustrations of getting onto the site but none of the links are working. ( Where I pay a membership fee! This part is pretty hysterical too!)
It’s been fun!