Firefox ad-blocker extension causes angst

calidan · Aug 27, 2007, 12:55 PM

Source: InfoWorld
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A Web site owner has blocked Firefox users from accessing his site in protest of a popular browser extension that blocks text and display ads.

Firefox users who go to JackLewis.net are redirected to Why Firefox is Blocked, which says the Adblock Plus extension undercuts Web sites dependant on advertising revenue.

"Accessing the content while blocking the ads therefore would be no less than stealing," wrote Danny Carlton, a Web site designer and author, who runs both sites. JackLewis.net is his personal blog site. "Millions of hard working people are being robbed of their time and effort by this type of software," he added in a posting on the Why Firefox is Blocked Web site.

mkk · Aug 27, 2007, 01:04 PM

Seems to be a nutter, but there's a point in there somewhere. I don't know what settings that adblocker has but in most one can specify what sites not to filter. If you like a site, don't filter out ads unless there's something really annoying going on.

Da_Jewish_Fonzy · Aug 27, 2007, 04:48 PM

hmm I like adblock plus, i think it should be our choice whether or not we want to see ads. if a commercial come on tv i can switch the channel or tape my shows and skip commercials, same goes for radio, don't see why the web should be any different, afterall we pay for our internet access.

RoyBatty · Aug 27, 2007, 05:08 PM

As long as I will have the data transfer limit on my internet connection I will block all ads - I won't download anything I don't want. Not to mention that all this blinking and moving stuff is very annoying.

**Iria** · Aug 27, 2007, 07:09 PM

I tend to use Adblock Plus, but disable it for certain sites - like DH!

zaim · Aug 27, 2007, 07:20 PM

I absolutely LOVE adblock for firefox. Started using it mainly because of myspace and their bullshit flash winks adverts which activate sounds apon mouse over. So I got rid of that. Now every single ad from every single website (except this one of course!), is blocked. I can finally have an ad free web experience =)
reminds me of the 90's, heh..

Ebola · Aug 27, 2007, 07:29 PM

Those things make me laugh and make me understand the real meaning of the "I stand with Israel" banner.
I dont want to discriminate anyone... but that's a typical sionistic idiot.
Opera can block ads too and there are plugins almost everywhere for every browser that do the same filtering as adblock.
Maybe he should ban every surfer using any browser...

***temeteus82*** · Aug 28, 2007, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iria

I tend to use Adblock Plus, but disable it for certain sites - like DH!

I have ABP and I don't block DH since new servers makes huge speed difference and they won't be the slowest parts to load. Anyway some sites haves advertisement placed so badly that they ruin the whole site...

Matth · Aug 28, 2007, 05:24 PM

Why pick on FF, Internet explorer users can have adblockers too?

And why should any adblocker be easy to get round?

Sure, there are ways to make certain ad blocking techniques render a site unusable, and then the adblocker's challenge is to maintain a satisfactory kill rate and get the site to work adequately.

Ananas · Aug 30, 2007, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HyperHacker at Doom9.org

Nice thing about Firefox, you can just install an extension like User Agent Switcher and pretend to be some other browser.

[edit] Actually, this site seems to have three different layers of "protection". #1 is user-agent checking. #2 is Javascript; any browser not supporting document.all (which, AFAIK, is an IE-only nonstandard thing) gets redirected, and it shows an error message if it can't find the ads. #3 is a meta redirect, that if Javascript is off, redirects you to a page saying "This site requires JavaScript.". Of course, this being a form of DRM, it kills usability and is easily defeated:
1) Set your user agent to Opera or some other browser.
2) Turn off Javascript.
3) As the page is loading, hold End to scroll down. Mash Escape when you see "Copyright AdLogger, AdSense Tracking.". Wait a second, the status bar should change, mash it again to prevent the redirect. Or, use Proxomitron to strip it out or install an extension that disables meta redirect. (This seems to stop the ads from loading too. Ha!)

BTW, to web designers, here's a better way to stop people from blocking your ads: Don't use annoying ads.

(Yeah, I enjoy finding ways around DRM, and I was bored.

)

Pwn. (I have to write something here to prevent the message from being "less than 2 characters". >_>)

Zelig · Aug 30, 2007, 05:41 AM

My 30 second removal job, no user intervention necessary when the site loads, it's all automatic:

Funny, the site also takes about 5x longer to load with ads enabled.

Ads have been misused online too much for me to deal with them, driverheaven is the only site I have whitelisted. I'd happily pay for quality ad-free content, similar to other types of media, I'll happily buy DVDs, but will not watch shows with commercials.

PangingJr · Aug 30, 2007, 07:01 AM

with Proxomitron's AdPaths, AdDimensions and AdComments the site takes a few seconds to load.

and now with IE, i couldn't view the page.
i neither use any ad blocking software nor Proxomitron on the IE, but some small entries of ad servers in the HOST file.

mkk · Aug 30, 2007, 12:38 PM

There.., now my adblocker won't let me visit that site even if I wanted to.

Pluvious · Aug 30, 2007, 01:51 PM

No problem.. I just won't go to his site. And the MANY users of Firefox won't either. Problem solved. What a jackhole.

Da_Jewish_Fonzy · Aug 30, 2007, 02:57 PM

in retrospect, fuck ads