# How to prevent pop-ups?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 7, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607 "2001-07-07T17:53:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/1 "2001-07-07T17:53:42Z")
I can’t stand those dumb “pop-up” advertisements that many websites now put up. Especially the ones where the X button is just a part of some image and still links you to the site without closing the window. Is there a way, using Internet Explorer (I believe I have the latest version) to set it so no windows, other than the one YOU open, appear. If not, can anyone recommend an internet explorer that has that feature?
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### Author:  [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/2 "2001-07-07T18:19:02Z")
Sure, get an old browser which doesn’t recognize such commands. Of course, it won’t recognize much else, either, and you’ll be seeing less pages, or less of whats on those pages.
Otherwise, you’re SOL.
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### Author:  [@Father\_Pacelli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Father_Pacelli)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/3 "2001-07-07T18:29:25Z")
You might as well ask “Is there a Yugo out there that’ll perform like a Porsche?” :rolleyes:
Go to [http://www.opera.com](http://www.opera.com) and download the latest browser. Shut off all cookies and JavaScript. Keep M$IE around for sites that require cookies and Java. I browse sites like this one with images shut off for faster loading–I have to do that, as [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com) is run off a couple of Vic20s in someone’s basement (which would explain the LOOOOOOONG wait for the site to load). When was the last time you browsed with images disabled in M$IE? Oops, I forgot–you CAN’T do that on M$IE. When was the last time you copied a link URL without having to open that link? If you only use M$IE, the answer is “never”.
I only keep M$IE around for my web-based email accounts. All my powerbrowsing is done on Opera. You should do the same. If someone’s holding a gun to your head and forcing you to use M$IE, go to [http://www.webwasher.com](http://www.webwasher.com) and download their program which blocks popups and banner ads.
Of course, you could always quit visiting porn sites. (Don’t lie and say you’re not–I can tell.)
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### Author:  [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/4 "2001-07-07T18:42:04Z")
> [@](#):
>
> When was the last time you browsed with images disabled in M$IE? Oops, I forgot–you CAN’T do that on M$IE.
Tools-\>Advanced-\>Uncheck “Show images”
> [@](#):
>
> When was the last time you copied a link URL without having to open that link? If you only use M$IE, the answer is “never”
Right-click on URL. Copy shortcut.
I could just be having a very complex hallucination, though.
[http://www.panicware.com](http://www.panicware.com) also has some tools that fights pop-up windows and such.
[http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml](http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml) has some very useful tips on putting the smackdown on banner ads, as well.
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### Author:  [@texxxas57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/texxxas57)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/5 "2001-07-07T18:43:43Z")
[http://software.xfx.net/utilities/popupkiller/index.html](http://software.xfx.net/utilities/popupkiller/index.html)
I read about this shareware from the Kim Komando show/website. From reading the description she provided, and the FAQ on the website, it sounds like it may be what you are looking for…works with IE. If you want, you can set it so that little “explosion-sounds” will occur each time a popup is killed, or it can operate silently.
According to Kim Komando, it is free to try, but a $7.00 donation would be appreciated. If it works as well as they say, I would think it would be worth it.
I haven’t tried it, as I am using msn Explorer, which is not supported.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/6 "2001-07-07T18:53:53Z")
**Father Pacelli** own any stock in Opera?
I was going to say that there are programs available to block popup windows (but that was posted already) and there seems to be more popup windows now then 3 months ago.
Also the web seems to be becomming more of a place to buy information and less of a place to get info. I have nothing against someone selling info but it’s very hard to tell if the info I need is the info they are selling.
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### Author:  [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/7 "2001-07-07T19:21:48Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Father Pacelli \*
> \*\*Of course, you could always quit visiting porn sites. (Don’t lie and say you’re not–I can tell.) \*\*
Who needs porn sites? Morpheus is much easier to navigate and reliable for finding porn.
The reason I posted this is because now my e-mail, [mail.com](http://mail.com) (which is the page that automatically loads) automatically brings these things up. [Mail.com](http://Mail.com) doesn’t deserve to make money off me. If gives 0 tech support, deletes my mailbox (which was well below the maximum space) at its leisure, takes forever, etc. The only reason I keep it is because its too much of a pain in the ass to change it.
Thanks, everyone, I’m gonna download some of them now and see which one is the best.
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### Author:  [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/8 "2001-07-08T03:49:36Z")
As I have mentioned again and again, it is easy to block ads on any computer without any additional software. Here’s a web page on how to do it:
[http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml](http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml)
Note that their list of adservers is rather old so you will have to identify the domains you want to block (i.e. [http://www.x10.com](http://www.x10.com)) and add those to the block list.
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### Author:  [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/9 "2001-07-08T04:04:04Z")
You can block 99% of popup ads simply by keeping javascript turned off unless you need it on (unfortunately this means that your webmail account can still spam you with stuff). Incidentally, ranting aside, **Father Pacelli** is right about one thing - Opera is a better browser than Internet Exploder, in almost every way. In particular, it makes it very easy to close windows without automatically bringing them to the foreground, which means that you almost never have toa ctually see them.
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### Author:  [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/10 "2001-07-08T04:17:16Z")
Swing down on the ball, don’t over swing and lay off the highballs.
😃
[sub ducks and runs[/sub]
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### Author:  [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/11 "2001-07-08T12:00:51Z")
I use a program called “webwasher” If you search google for it, I am certain you will find it. Not only does it stop popup windows (if you choose) but it also blocks advertisements, scripts, and a host of other web annoyances. Fully customizeable. The best part is that it is free, and small. I had just one little problem trying to get it configured alongside the OPERA customizations, but eventually, I did. My own fault for not reading the docs. What it does, is it acts as a proxy server for your browser. This way it can do the filtering.
It, along with Zonealarm are the only two programs I’ve ever allowed to occupy a space in my windows taskbar, and load with windows. If you my detest for taskbar-intruding programs, this would be the deciding factor for you to download it. 😉
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### Author:  [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/12 "2001-07-08T12:18:36Z")
> [@](#):
>
> As I have mentioned again and again, it is easy to block ads on any computer without any additional software. Here’s a web page on how to do it:
>
> [http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml](http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml)
How does this prevent pop-ups? It doesn’t. Try reading the question again and again.
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### Author:  [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/13 "2001-07-08T18:24:10Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by galt \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > As I have mentioned again and again, it is easy to block ads on any computer without any additional software. Here’s a web page on how to do it:
> >
> > [http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml](http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml)
>
> How does this prevent pop-ups? It doesn’t. Try reading the question again and again.
> \*\*
It most certainly DOES prevent popups. I put this software on my machine and it blocks all the offensive popup x10 ads. Go try it before you denounce it.
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### Author:  [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/14 "2001-07-08T18:39:06Z")
You can also use [http://www.safeweb.com](http://www.safeweb.com)
You can disable pop ups, mask your IP address, disable cookies and other stuff.
It makes downloading pages a tad longer but not too bad and you don’t need to download their software.
Have fun surfing porn!
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### Author:  [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2001, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/15 "2001-07-08T18:50:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Father Pacelli \*
> \*\*…If someone’s holding a gun to your head and forcing you to use M$IE, go to [http://www.webwasher.com](http://www.webwasher.com) and download their program which blocks popups and banner ads.
>
> \*\*
Damn it to the bowels of bloody hell! WHy didn’t I see that before I posted my response?
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### Author:  [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2001, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/16 "2001-07-09T19:03:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chas.E \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by galt \*
> > \*\*
> >
> > > [@](#):
> > >
> > > As I have mentioned again and again, it is easy to block ads on any computer without any additional software. Here’s a web page on how to do it:
> > >
> > > [http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml](http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/spam/adblock.shtml)
> >
> > How does this prevent pop-ups? It doesn’t. Try reading the question again and again.
> > \*\*
>
> It most certainly DOES prevent popups. I put this software on my machine and it blocks all the offensive popup x10 ads. Go try it before you denounce it. \*\*
Do you have any clue how it works? If you did, you wouldn’t be claiming that it stops popups. It stops requests to particular servers, that’s all. Try this page: [http://www.codsquad.com/~galt/popup/](http://www.codsquad.com/~galt/popup/)
It’s a great trick, but it doesn’t “prevent popups” or “prevent ads” any more than killing [http://www.microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com) prevents hearing about Windows XP.
Someone who’s got webwasher or safeweb installed: does the popup on my test page still work? Hopefully not.
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### Author:  [@Mac\_Guffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mac_Guffin)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2001, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/17 "2001-07-10T00:42:30Z")
Hey **galt** I loaded your test page with Webwasher.
No pop-up.
Webwasher works by re-writing the html code on the fly and removing references to pop-ups or grapics on its premade list, as well as any graphics you specify. If you see a banner ad you never wanna see again, you right-click on it and select “Add to Webwasher”. You never see it again.
I love Webwasher, although I had a little problem with not being able to see the board when I was first running it. That went away with a subsequent release. I made the mistake of asking how to fix the problem in ATMB and got thoroughly chastized by the Mods. Seems they don’t want to help us use software that removes the banner ads here…
manhattan laughed at me. _sigh_
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### Author:  [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-prevent-pop-ups/71607/18 "2001-07-10T01:10:43Z")
In my experience, the best way to prevent pop-ups is to keep your back elbow high and grip the bat so that your knuckles are … um, never mind, I think you’re all talking about something else.