Utilities Poll - Week 10

profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
edited November 2003 in Science & Tech
This week's topic: Pop-Up Ad Blockers

Your input will determine which programs are chosen to bear the proud title "Short-Media Approved", so be sure to vote!

Imagine you're walking down the street and someone holding a sign jumps in your face. You can't see where you're going, and the only way to get rid of them is to shove them out of your way. Then it happens again, and again and again! Sometimes there is more than one sign-waver at a time, or you push one away and he keeps coming back. Under those conditions you might just give up on getting where you're going and head back home. Welcome to a typical day on the Internet.

You don't have to live with it, you know. There are ways to eliminate, or at least reduce, the onslaught of ads.

What's your favorite way to block pop-up ads?

Please add your comments and opinions in this thread! Once this project is complete there will be an article written detailing the "S-M Approved" utilities. Knowing "what" you prefer would be great. Knowing "why" you prefer it would be even better.

I will attempt to modify the poll if one of the "Other" votes gets way more votes than one I've already listed.

Thanks for the great response last week. The member's choice was pretty clear. Your vote matters - all comments and all software receiving votes will be mentioned when the Short-Media Approved Utilities list is published.

Coming Soon - Part I of the Short-Media Approved Utilities list!

PS - Thanks, shwaip, for suggesting this weeks topic. :)

Comments

  • NixxerNixxer Nottingham, UK
    edited October 2003
    Meh stupid me read thing wrong.

    I use the built-in pop-up blocker in Firebird, and Zone Alarm Pro stops some ads too.
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited October 2003
    google tool bar works really well, although it could always be better :)
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited October 2003
    I voted the google toolbar, for when I'm using IE. It works OK and the price was right --- free.:)
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I use the built in one in MyIE2, it has yet to fail me, or annoy me, or to use an icon in my system tray, or anything like that. It's better than any other I Have ever used simply becuase it works and I don't have to do or see squat in the process.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited October 2003
    Nixxer said
    I chose "Other" because I use AdAware.
    Does AdAware stop pop-ups? I know they're great on spyware - is that in the "Pro" version, or is it new?
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I use the google toolbar, seems to work nicely.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    profdlp said
    Nixxer said
    I chose "Other" because I use AdAware.
    Does AdAware stop pop-ups? I know they're great on spyware - is that in the "Pro" version, or is it new?
    Their pop-up blocker is in "Ad Watch", which is included in the the "Plus" and "Pro" versions.

    Norton Personal Firewall has a pop-up blocker that works pretty good too. Both also have ad blocking if you wish to enable it but that has been too much of a pain so far.

    I am using both the Ad Aware and the one in NPF. Together they stop 99% of pop-ups. I used to use the pop-up blocker in "TweakXP" but it is too fussy and isn't really very configurable.
  • NixxerNixxer Nottingham, UK
    edited October 2003
    Im an idiot that struggles to read so I edited post.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Nixxer said
    Im an idiot that struggles to read so I edited post.
    Hey don't feel bad. I can read but often don't remember what I just read or get sidetracked. then if that's not bad enough, when I finish composing my post I close the window insted of hitting "Submit Reply" about 1/2 the time. :crazy:
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited October 2003
    Nixxer said
    Im an idiot that struggles to read so I edited post.
    mtgoat said
    Hey don't feel bad.
    Seriously! Don't feel bad at all. I wrote out a long response explaining why I switched from AdAware to Spybot S&D, then realized it was totally besides the point... :doh:

    Your vote & comments are noted and appreciated!

    :wave:
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited October 2003
    The Windows integrated "ALT-F4" Pop-Up Closer works fine for me :)
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited October 2003
    I use POW. it's great, free and extremely small(214k).

    You can backup the kill list (pow.dat). Been using it for years!



    http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/pow.htm
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited October 2003
    I don't really use one, but if I do, I use the one built in to Norton Internet Security.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Mozilla Firebird.

    NS
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    I don't generally have a problem with pop ups, so I guess I fit in the last group.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    The only one I've ever used it PanicWare... but it does get annoying because it blocks EVERY popup, even the ones you want, unless you press CTRL while the window is trying to pop up.
  • T-BirDT-BirD Montgomery, AL
    edited November 2003
    Opera browser with "open requested popup windows only" checked.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    MyIE's integrated popup blocker is top-notch.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited November 2003
    I use a combo of an IE integrated blocker called AdShield (blocks anything you want, including those "Gotcha" IP sigs some of you guys have) and currently the Google Bar (for just blocking popups alone), as AdShield doesn’t have the capability of blocking only certain site's popups, although Google's doesn’t work well in this regard either, so I'm looking for something to replace the Google bar with.

    Back in the day, I used Intermute. Worked in every aspect, and was all I needed for blocking both adds and popups (although I feel AdShield works better nowadays). Too bad they god bought out, and I cannot use my old (legit-purchased) key code.


    If anyone has a pop-up blocker that blocks ALL popups from any site ACCEPT ones specified, PLEASE PM ME!
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited November 2003
    GHoosdum had this to say
    The only one I've ever used it PanicWare... but it does get annoying because it blocks EVERY popup, even the ones you want, unless you press CTRL while the window is trying to pop up.

    That's why I switched from PanicWare to Free Surfer MKII - PanicWare's Pop-Up Stopper was killing my ESPN gamecast windows.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    i have nothing but praise for the ad hunter built right into myIE2...its sometimes fun to see how many ads it has blocked after my wife does some online browsing ;)

    fc
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    TheSmJ had this to say
    If anyone has a pop-up blocker that blocks ALL popups from any site ACCEPT ones specified, PLEASE PM ME!

    Thats how Mozilla and Firebird work. Well worth a look to be honest.

    NS
  • DragstkDragstk Syracuse, N.Y.
    edited November 2003
    I use Zone Alarm Pro and AdAware Pro, and have very little trouble with pop-ups
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited November 2003
    NightShade737 had this to say
    TheSmJ had this to say
    If anyone has a pop-up blocker that blocks ALL popups from any site ACCEPT ones specified, PLEASE PM ME!

    Thats how Mozilla and Firebird work. Well worth a look to be honest.

    NS


    Yeah... but I'd prefer to keep using IE.:ninja:
  • beatzbeatz i am a hamburger Member
    edited November 2003
    My popup-blocker is Mozilla. Some other "experts" also seem to like it :vimp:
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited November 2003
    Okay people, your week (or more like three, he he) of voting and discussion is up. Time to move on to the next topic. Thanks to all of you for voting and posting your thoughts.

    SPINNER

    Week 11 can be found at the link below and the subject is 'Playoffs Part I':
    Having gone through ten weeks of polling to choose the Short-Media Approved Utilities list, we have compiled a list of the "must have" programs our members rely on to keep their computers running in fine style.

    Now it's time to choose the Best Of The Best!
    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6078
This discussion has been closed.