January 30, 2004

{ Privoxy: Block Webpage Junk }

Okay, I've been meaning to post about this handy App for a while, but I needed time to really test it out. As mentioned, it's called Privoxy. It's an opensource project available via Sourceforge. The program's main use is to block out most of those annoying banner ads by "adclick.net" and others. Also it blocks most Pop-ups and redirects. Another feature is to "Crunch" cookies that may placed on your computers from such said sites, and keep many unwanted flash and java ads from running in your browser too. You may say what does this all matter? Well, if you are on dial-up, it may cut your webpage loading time in half! How's it work? It does this by "tricking" the site into thinking it's already cached the data, so it doesn't bother to connect to the ad site to load the data. or just alltogether blocking things. thus fast page loads. In the ad's place a checker-board pattern, this is nice, because it really shows how many different sites you are connecting to when you just want to read or use your favorite site. The best part is that the default settings of the program kill most all of the things you don't want and keeps the things you do. If you don't like some of the settings, i.e. you have trouble with your bank's website, it's pref's are completely configurable from within your browser. It's at least worth checking out. There's versions for Win32, various *nix distros, including OSX panther(which I use, and have included a special panther link not available on the Sourceforge site). so check it out.. Tell me what you think! MSD If some of the images that are on the 'dozens don't show up or get "blocked" you need to "add" this url pattern to the default.actions filter section: www.crowndozen.com/* that way it will show anything that follows the "/". See User Manual if you need help!

» Privoxy.org

By Alan Smithee in Web | Comments:

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