This blog thrives on ads. It also thrives on getting people more information and practical uses of it. I see no conflict between the two, so this blog post is specifically on removing blog ads generally and for this blog specifically.
Why should you block the ads? The answer is simple: they distract you from viewing the interesting content, and even if they are contextual ads (so they are related to the content), most of them are not what you would look for in a page. You might want to keep the ads just to see how other people would promote a web site in two lines. I personally remove ads from FireFox, and keep them in Opera.
Now that you know why should you remove ads, read on to see how to remove them.
What can you read in here?
1. How to remove ads on web sites?
a. Internet security level
b. Browser level
2. How to block the Google ads on this blog?
1. How to remove ads on web sites?
a. Internet security level
Most security solutions like antiviruses now include Internet ad blockers. Which to pick? This is a very broad information for me to analyze, so I will outsource this research. Please see the CNET Top 10 Antispyware apps 2007 page (March 2007), Top Antivirus Software by PC World (January 2006), Anti-Virus Software Review 2008 (2008 data).
I have had pleasant experiences with Kaspersky’s solution for blocking ads, but I haven’t tried anything else than that for blocking ads, so the test presented earlier are a much better data source than my personal test. Go install an antivirus and Internet protector! (not only for ads, but for general security of your PC)
b. Browser level
FireFox has AdBlock Plus (see the AdBlock Plus page on Mozilla web site), and you should also install FilterSet Updater (see FilterSet Updater page on Mozilla web site) to get continuously updated filters for AdBlock Plus (so a recent ad server is also blocked). It also has a manual way of blocking images.
Opera has a manual way of blocking images, and some filters to block the ads can be obtained from: Opera 9 Ad Blocking page and Opera ad block filters page.
In Internet Explorer 7 you can block ads via this tool – IE7PRO.
For any other browser, do a search on Google for “[name and major version of the software] remove ads”. Example: Internet Explorer 6 remove ads. Blocking ads also works for other applications, like Instant Messaging software ads.
2. How to block the Google ads on this blog?
This article explains how to remove ads via the hosts file (Vista users, do a search in the Windows directory for the file): Removing Google Ads Using the Windows Hosts File.
Also, most of the methods described earlier should also work.
Now that you know it, go block the ads!
Do you know a better solution than this to block ads? Do you have a personal experience with blocking ads? Please post your comment below.
Thanks for clearing up my quandary about which anti virus to use. I had been considering Kaspersky for a while now and your comment that what you used pushed me to go ahead and try it. Thanks also for the info about FilterSet Updater as I had never heard of it.
Hello, You’re most welcome. ;) I understand from your comments that you’re using both FireFox and Kaspersky. Have a look on this topic:
“kaspersky 2009 Causes Firefox 3 to Crash”
http://www.blogsdna.com/430/9-fix-for-firefox-3-crashes-hanging-problem.htm
Do a bit of research on Google for
Kaspersky FireFox 3 before buying it.
But I’m sure they’ll soon solve it. It’s a very popular combination. :D
Olivian BREDA’s last blog post..An easy-to-win contest
The first file contains an ASCII string, the second file is a copy using a
different filename, the third is contained within a zip archive folder and the
fourth contains the third zip file within a zip archive folder. This is to see if
your anti virus will scan deeper than just the first level.