Safari Adblocking

[z970]

One of the downsides of using WebKit over TenFourFox is that, as one guy here says, it isn't as customizable. It's not as customizable, you can't tweak the inner workings, you can't easily get extensions (for the version we're limited to), and it's more prone to crashing when overloaded thanks to the engine differences between the two browsers. Safari just isn't built as rugged as Firefox is, so therefore, this has presented a need in many people to alternate between browsers when most fitting.

Well unfortunately, I didn't find a great browser that merges the two applications. But I did find something that at least slightly bridges the gap between them. Behold.

http://floppymoose.com/

It doesn't do a perfect job, one or two ads still slip through the cracks, but from what I've experienced, it's better than GlimmerBlocker. Instant results with a difference you can notice, and so far, it's the best adblocker for Safari I've used.

So that should make Leopard-Webkit run even faster now, which I think is helpful.
[doublepost=1529505631][/doublepost]Case in point: While posting this thread, WebKit crashed on me, which could have resulted in all that text being lost.

I believe I remember now why I always deferred to TenFourFox instead.

 

[eyoungren]

As the one guy here that says, "it isn't as customizable"…I think this is a decent solution.

Good find!

 

[wicknix]

I've yet to have safari/webkit crash. It might stay at 100% cpu load for a minute or two on select heavy websites though. I just disable ( or dont install ) extensions and use a hosts file to block all ads. No ads, no tracking, no crashing.

This will also block ads system wide. TFF, shareware apps with ads etc.

Cheers

 

[z970]

I've yet to have safari/webkit crash. It might stay at 100% cpu load for a minute or two on select heavy websites though. I just disable ( or dont install ) extensions and use a hosts file to block all ads. No ads, no tracking, no crashing.

This will also block ads system wide. TFF, shareware apps with ads etc.

Cheers

First, try clicking around the window several times. Guaranteed crash. For stock installs, at least.

Second, would you mind shining a little light on that hosts file? It sounds great. I don't believe the one I've found has all those bells and whistles.

 

[AL1630]

I may have to test this out. I got Adblock on Safari working on my iBook, but when I tried it on my Powerbook it crashed. Glimmerblocker didn't seem to do anything when I tried it.

 

[z970]

Glimmerblocker didn't seem to do anything when I tried it.

My experience exactly.

 

[eyoungren]

Second, would you mind shining a little light on that hosts file? It sounds great. I don't believe the one I've found has all those bells and whistles.

The hosts file is buried in one of the hidden OS X folders.

It's a text file and you designate either an IP address (or range of addresses) or URLs. When the system sees a request for those things, it does not communicate with them. Effectively it's a block.

For me, personally, I generally don't like/use whole system blockers simply because disabling it is a PITA when you might need something it's blocking to load.

But the hosts file is an effective tool as the entire system is blocked from communicating, not just a browser.

 

[AphoticD]

Well done @z970mp , the stylesheet solution is tidy for removing ad banners on screen, but I don't think it has the scope to reduce the javascript overhead from ad cycling and tracking, which I believe is where the PowerPC browsers tend to choke.

@wicknix can you share your ad blocking hosts file? I imagine the combination of blocking at the hosts file and also doing browser level ad hiding with the stylesheet would certainly catch all.

It's also worth bringing up again, that the latest TenFourFox has a built in ad blocking checkbox in the "TenFourFox" section in the Preferences panels. I have found there is now no need to install ad blocking addons. I found FPR7 has been the fastest version of stock TFF so far. The difference is quite substantial, especially on the G4s.

 

[Dronecatcher]

I use the one here:
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts2.htm

Instructions for Mac here:
http://pointhope.de/tips&tricks/no_place_like_localhost.html

 

[pochopsp]

I use the one here:
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts2.htm

Instructions for Mac here:
http://pointhope.de/tips&tricks/no_place_like_localhost.html

Does it help? Doesn't it cause problems?

 

[AL1630]

I don't have much to do right now, so I'll give @Dronecatcher's hosts file a try as well and compare it to the StyleSheet we're discussing.

 

[Dronecatcher]

Does it help? Doesn't it cause problems?

Always worked for me. The only problem is if you click on an ad sponsored search result in Google that you actaully want to see - it will block it. Sometimes you can bypass that be editing the ad forwarding from the URL.

 

[wicknix]

I use exactly the same file @Dronecatcher linked. I also have a hosts.pkg thats a pref pane to easily enable disable select ip addresses and urls. When i get home from work tonight i'll upload it.

Cheers

 

[wicknix]

Here is the link to the pref pane.
http://osxdaily.com/2012/07/30/easily-edit-hosts-file-in-mac-os-x-from-a-preference-pane/
https://github.com/specialunderwear/Hosts.prefpane/downloads

Cheers

 

[z970]

1.3 won't work with PowerPC Macs, and 1.2, 1.1, and 1.0 "could not install some files in /Users/Name/Library/PreferencePanes". It wants me to contact the software manufacturer for assistance.

Ideas?

 

[wicknix]

I dont remember which version im using. I can dig through my external drive and try finding the one im using. Otherwise on the osxdaily page the is also a link to download gasmask which essentially does the same thing.

Cheers

 

[XaPHER]

Personally I use Privoxy. Since it works as a proxy service it's probably less appropriate for some network configurations (or maybe some hosts), but just in case I've made a separate network config that doesn't use it. It's quite fast, and Tobias Netzel contributed a 32-bit powerpc build that works with tiger/leopard. https://sourceforge.net/projects/ijbswa/