Google Chrome will "block" adblockers... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 06:31:15 am
content: https://9to5google.com/2019/05/29/chrome-ad-blocking-enterprise-manifest-v3/People who are using chrome, deserve adsFortunately, there's Firefox

author: Specmaster
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 06:51:11 am
content: You can use Adblocker with Chrome I do and it works well.Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 06:52:35 am
content: Quote from: Specmaster on May 30, 2019, 06:51:11 amNot after they make them not work anymore.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 06:59:17 am
content: "Fortunately, there's Firefox"I haven't had the chance to use Firefox seriously since Firefox 3 (back when it looked like the Netscape Navigator it came from, at least out of the box), so I can't speak for its reliability, compatibility, or much of anything else, but I can say that there is one very good reason I /cannot/ use Firefox.I currently own a Surface Pro 3 that has been modified to use Linux instead of Windows, which brings me loads of performance, power usage, and boot time improvements, as well as making it easier to integrate into my very Unix/Linux friendly home environment. The issue with Firefox over Chrome is that, at present, Firefox does not support hardware accelerated video decoding on Linux. Chrome/Chromium does, and in my distro (Arch Linux) that enhancement is included in the main chromium package. While this might not seem like a big deal breaker at first, keep in mind that the Surface Pro 3 is an x86 tablet with an old, and even when new, unimpressive battery, and horrible thermals (really talking it up here, aren't I?). Its primary usage to me is for content consumption, and while I can use software video decoding it will heat up incredibly, and destroy the battery, making it a definite no-go.My thoughts on this topic is, since Chromium is an open source web browser (in theory), wouldn't this code be potentially revertible, modifiable, or otherwise changeable to allow extensions like uBlock Origin to function for people that greatly want or need Chromium? Not that I am volunteering my next to no real programming capabilities to the task, but surely this is a drastic enough change to enough people's workloads to warrant some open source patch or mod.This isn't surprising to me in the slightest however. Google is a very strange company, traditionally speaking at least, advertising is big business, and big data is even bigger business, but they seem to be rather generous in their acts. I wouldn't cry to see a world without Google, as I can agree they have well outstayed their welcome, but considering they own a majority stake in the universe, that's not happening any time soon. I'll plop them right next to Microsoft in my list of, oh man wouldn't it be nice if they suddenly closed shop, companies.

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 07:07:36 am
content: Quote from: Karel on May 30, 2019, 06:31:15 amAnd a hosts file. Stops most things.https://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

author: 3roomlab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 08:01:30 am
content: Quote from: Circlotron on May 30, 2019, 07:07:36 amwont https ignore those?

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 08:35:54 am
content: ^^^ I see very few ads, so it seems to work for me.Get on my iPad though and I’m inundated.

author: maukka
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 08:41:45 am
content: Just get on theBravetrain.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 08:59:41 am
content: Well, goodbye Chrome if Google does this. Hello Firefox?

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:09:35 am
content: Quote from: Circlotron on May 30, 2019, 07:07:36 amI have been using it since the dawn of time. It is the only thing I use too. No adblock or antivirus. I also disable most add-ons in the browser.

author: Specmaster
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:15:54 am
content: Currently, I'm running both browsers and switching between them for the odd requirement that one or the other can't or wont do. I tried Edge and that just sucks as far as I'm concerned, should've just left IE as it was, it just worked. Moved onto Chrome and have been very happy with chrome until I started getting some odd emails coming and then I realised that it must have been tracking sites that I visited and using information against meSomeone suggested that Firefox didn't do that which so far I have seen no evidence to support that but I do find that Firefox is steeper learning curve and is also slightly slower.

author: maukka
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:17:13 am
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on May 30, 2019, 08:51:42 amYou can disable the replacement ads if you don't want to get paid with BAT tokens.

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:27:19 am
content: there is also Opera that works nice. and has an integrated ad blocker...

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:38:27 am
content: Quote from: Ampera on May 30, 2019, 06:59:17 amI didn't know about the Firefox video acceleration issue. It explains why Google maps is so slow on Firefox. I'll try Chromium.I'm not bothered about adblockers. I've tried using them but some sites block them and it's not worth it as most sites I visit, don't have intrusive adverts and if I encounter a site which does, I don't use it. Even the YouTube adverts don't bother me too much, as I can skip the long ones and the short ones are only a few seconds. Websites need a revenue stream and adblock kills it, which could mean more pay-only sites.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:40:38 am
content: Quote from: Ampera on May 30, 2019, 06:59:17 amI didn't know that, thank you. Was always wondered why 4k60fps youtube videos stutter and hang in full screen.Installed Pale Moon, uBlock Origin add-on, then set the 'layers.acceleration.force-enabled' to true from the about:config page. YouTube at 4K60Hz works flawless on Pale Moon, with no adds.Pale Moon it is, then.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:47:50 am
content: Quote from: kripton2035 on May 30, 2019, 09:27:19 amYeah, I've been using Opera for the last 18 years, and it always was my default browser. I'm not too happy with the chinese takover of it, and that they just changed it to chromium. Or the changes in the last few revisions, and the daily update it seems to have. I think I will probably switch to Vivialdi. Chrome is like IE 6 in my books.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:50:13 am
content: Not a problem. I have PiHolehttps://pi-hole.net/Tho i don't run it on a RaspberryPi but instead as a docker container in unRAID on my PC based NAS server.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 09:56:23 am
content: Quote from: Zero999 on May 30, 2019, 09:38:27 amDon't get confused in all the different sorts of hardware acceleration out there. There's hardware compositing, hardware drawing acceleration (3D or 2D), and hardware video decoding (probably some others like sound I've forgotten). Under Linux, hardware video decoding is available under a few APIs, but most modernly (or at least commonly) VA-API, which has support for most modern GPUs that support such features. Firefox has no VA-API support for Linux (nor VDPAU, lol) which makes watching videos on a device where CPU cycles are at a premium a bit of a pain. I do not know the state of hardware accelerated compositing or GL drawing in Firefox.Quote from: RoGeorge on May 30, 2019, 09:40:38 amNow that /is/ interesting. My dad swears by (or at least swore by) Pale Moon, apparently after a person at Firefox was a bit of an ass to him about some issue or bug he was having, and said that it was a decent project with dedicated and nice developers. If it does support VA-API playback on Linux, then perhaps that could be a potential fallback for me if Chromium eats poo. Thanks for that.Quote from: Berni on May 30, 2019, 09:50:13 amThis would be the last ditch effort to maintain an ad-free or limited-ad environment, and I'm not amazed at the prospect, considering it's going to be (by definition) harder to control and harder to disable than just a simple browser extension.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 10:11:53 am
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on May 30, 2019, 09:40:38 amPale Moon is the better Firefox. Mozilla makes stupid design decisions for quite a while. For example, forcing linux users to install Pulseaudio to have audio output was a very bad thing to do. And if you check the configuration you'll find several settings pointing to Google.

author: apis
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 10:29:15 am
content: There is so much web browser code that is already open source. New "features" are mostly crap anyway like functions that facilitate spying (tracking cookies) and security risks (while useful things like hypertext support for mathematical formulas is dragging on). So for the time being there will always be an opensource web browser alternative that can block ads.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 10:41:24 am
content: I mostly use 'Avast Secure Browser'. ItUSEDto be part of the package for theupgradedversionsof the 'Avast' Anti-Virus suite, but now youdo nothave to have/use Avast Security to use it !!......https://www.avast.com/en-au/secure-browserIt isbuilton the Chromium Engine, buthighly modified! With numerous security/privacyissues on board. It even let's you download Videos from Youtube, directly. And you can use anyadd-ons you like, as in  'adblock' etc etc. Even using built in VPN-like privacy modes for secure silentbrowsing, and Banking-Modes & the like... And easily customized. Not many people know about it !

author: apis
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 11:20:22 am
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on May 30, 2019, 08:01:30 amNo, it blocks on the DNS level, so it will work for any application. A bit crude though.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 11:22:19 am
content: Quote from: maukka on May 30, 2019, 08:41:45 amI understand that Google's change to the adblock API will be implemented on the Chromium level. So Brave will "benefit" from it as well, assuming that they don't have the resources to fork and maintain their own flavor of Chromium.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 12:00:56 pm
content: Quote from: Ampera on May 30, 2019, 09:56:23 amVideo has never been a problem, under Firefox. I don't know anything about hardware acceleration. All I know is Firefox is slow to the point of being unusable, with Google maps. I did have a Chromium based browser installed at one point (Slimjet I think) and noticed it ran at a usable speed, but it broke other sites. I think I'll try plain Chromium now.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 01:00:11 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on May 30, 2019, 12:00:56 pmI have and use Firefox on all my computers and have not noticed any problem with graphics or Google maps. BUT...Every installation seems to behave slightly different for no apparent reason. For instance, in Win XP computers I run Firefox 52.9.0 ESR and it works as expected except in one computer where embedded Youtube videos do not show. Only blank space. Out of about six Win XP computers this only happens in one. I posted in the Firefox forum but nobody could suggest anything. Maybe I'll post in the new computing section here.As I said, I use it with Linux as well and it goes fine. Never any problems.I always use the "Private Browsing" mode.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 01:26:27 pm
content: Quote from: GlennSprigg on May 30, 2019, 10:41:24 amSo were is the catch? What is their business model with this product?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 02:18:05 pm
content: Quote from: soldar on May 30, 2019, 01:00:11 pmThe issue he's talking about only affects Linux, so your experiance with Windows is irrelevant.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 02:28:05 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on May 30, 2019, 02:18:05 pmMaybe you missed the part where I said Firefox works fine with Linux for me.And the thread is about Google Chrome anyway.

author: bloguetronica
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 02:51:34 pm
content: Looks like a draconian measure similar to the one from A Clockwork Orange to force the guy's eyes open so he watches the movie. What's next? Anyway, Firefox has a pretty powerful ad-blocker that blocks the ads even when watching YouTube videos. No monetization from me, but what the heck. Paypay or Patreon is a better way to give donations.On another note, what's the financial advantage of showing ads if most people ignore them (even without ad-blocker) and many don't buy the products?Kind regards, Samuel Lourenço

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 03:23:37 pm
content: Quote from: bloguetronica on May 30, 2019, 02:51:34 pmIt's not just about the ads, it's also the tracking across the web to determine which ads you'll see. And the tracking helps with creating and improving profiles of target groups to optimize ad campaigns. Ignoring ads doesn't help much because your subconsciousness will process them anyway. If you stand in front of a supermarket's shelf with 50 different detergents and have no idea which one to buy your subconsciousness will remember the ads and choose accordingly.

author: apis
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 03:36:40 pm
content: Quote from: madires on May 30, 2019, 03:23:37 pmIndeed, studies show that people will pick the most familiar one (i.e. the one you've seen in ads and on billboards). You may even dislike the ads, doesn't matter. Ads work on many different levels though. Most people doesn't put a lot of thought and research into which detergent to buy, you just pick one and if it's not too bad you stick with it.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 03:45:03 pm
content: Quote from: madires on May 30, 2019, 03:23:37 pmYeah, I can relate

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 03:52:47 pm
content: How useful is ad tracking if the target blocks ads and doesn't see them at all?

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 04:13:07 pm
content: Quote from: soldar on May 30, 2019, 01:00:11 pmI didn't say there was a problem, obviously, on a PC with adequate grunt and where thermals and power are not an issue, it works fine enough. The issue I am talking about effects mobile devices like tablets and laptops, where horsepower is limited, energy is limited, and thermals are limited. I don't want a noisy hot tablet playing video that will flatten the battery in an hour or two (and then get even hotter while charging).

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 04:31:39 pm
content: Quote from: Ampera on May 30, 2019, 04:13:07 pmMy post was not in response to you but in response to another post and poster who said they had a problem. I said I did not have that particular problem but each installation of Firefox behaves a little different.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 04:36:54 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on May 30, 2019, 03:52:47 pmIn most cases the tracking is blocked too.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 05:38:50 pm
content: Been using Firefox since practically the start. I've used Chrome a few times but always found myself going back to Firefox. Never really trusted a browser made by a spy company. Then again I use an Android phone, I may as well have a personal NSA agent following me around.Not much choices these days though. Hoping the Librem phone does well. Kind of eyeing it.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 05:39:17 pm
content: There's the idea of "stealth" adblockers that just hide the ad, the intent being for those who want to block ads but don't want to block supporting the sites. By design, that kind of adblocker does not block tracking.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 05:57:27 pm
content: Tracking is very hard to block, would require a complete redesign of how HTTP and even other layers of the OSI model work I think. Though browsers in general could help a lot if they were better designed for privacy from the ground up, such as isolating access to the hard drive, or other tabs etc. Each tab session should be treated as a sandbox and cookies from one domain should not be accessible by another. Lot of things like that could help. Though some of the tracking is beyond the browser. For example you don't even need to visit Facebook or have an account for them to track you.Of course there's all sorts of extensions that can help, but I really think this sort of thing should be designed right into the browsers.

author: bloguetronica
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2019, 05:57:42 pm
content: Quote from: madires on May 30, 2019, 03:23:37 pmWell, normally I go for the reviews or the word of mouth, or if I can't, I just buy the cheapest or more convenient one. But anyway, it is a matter of personal preference. I don't believe in subconsciousness guiding, to be frank.Anyway, you've raised a nice point about trackers. And that is the nasty side of the ads, IMHO. That is also why I block them. If Chrome doesn't do the job, there are plenty of browsers to go around that do.Kind regards, Samuel Lourenço

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2019, 03:57:59 am
content: Quote from: Bud on May 30, 2019, 01:26:27 pmI am answering my own question here after reading the Avast Privacy Policy:QuoteSo yeah, are they f-king kidding me? Change google ads to avast ads? Pony up cash for a paid version? Resellers are "working on regular maintenance" of my personal data?We need a middle finger emoticon, I have a perfect use case for it in this post.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2019, 04:37:08 am
content: Sometimes none of the plugins work seem to work on the main Google home page so I see the suggestions until I refresh the page and it does this in the Chrome web store.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2019, 09:50:00 pm
content: Quote from: Karel on May 30, 2019, 06:31:15 amGiven that Chrome was created to track its users, why is anyone surprised by this?

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2019, 09:51:50 pm
content: Quote from: Circlotron on May 30, 2019, 08:35:54 amiOS now allows users to install content blockers for use with Safari.

author: Yansi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2019, 09:55:01 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on May 31, 2019, 03:57:59 amIts all about corporates trying to scam personal data from trusting people these days. Not surprised. Not at all. Call me paranoid...

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2019, 10:21:17 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on May 31, 2019, 03:57:59 amIt's funny you should mention that. Idid suggest it awhile ago, but it didn't catch on. Anyway, here it is.Avast

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 04:20:27 am
content: Quote from: Bassman59 on May 31, 2019, 09:50:00 pmMy thought as well, which is why I didn't abandon Firefox when the Internet ran to Chrome. At least we still have options.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 01:31:55 pm
content: I wouldn't be surprised if Google adds mandatory DoH to Chrome.DoH:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNS_over_HTTPS

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 02:01:28 pm
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on June 01, 2019, 07:27:47 amI am not sure what you are getting at. The way I understand it a host is a host is a host and protocol is not generally taken into account when routing (unless router specifically does so).In other words, the machine's routing when it looks up the host's name in the Hosts file does not care about protocol being http, https or anything else.OTOH, afftool.com,www.afftool.com, ww1.afftool.com, etc. are all different hosts with their own rules.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 03:00:27 pm
content: Unless you are on Win10, which completely ignores the hosts file for particular addresses (some Microsoft servers addresses are hardcoded in the Windows 10 binaries)

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 03:45:14 pm
content: Quote from: soldar on June 01, 2019, 02:01:28 pmYeah protocol does not matter at all. You can do telnet, ping, anything, it will go to whatever IP you set in host's file.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 03:46:12 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on June 01, 2019, 03:00:27 pmThat's dirty, but I'm not even surprised lol.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 04:58:43 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on June 01, 2019, 03:00:27 pmYep.https://www.petri.com/windows-10-ignoring-hosts-file-specific-name-resolution

author: MT
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 05:57:27 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on June 01, 2019, 03:00:27 pmWTF!Quote from: Karel on June 01, 2019, 04:58:43 pmWTF again!

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 06:24:24 pm
content: You can always use an external router to control all traffic and block all (known) MS IP addresses.I knew I did well in staying with XP and transitioning to Linux.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 06:45:23 pm
content: I've been using Pale Moon for several years, it's been great.I can't see why anyone would use a browser that doesn't have a good adblocker, I find the internet is unusable without one. Not only is it a completely obnoxious user experience with auto-playing videos and flashy animated things all over, but it's also a security risk.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 06:58:01 pm
content: I have to agree with James. I also use Pale Moon and a bunch pop-up blockers, ad-blocks, picture blocks, etc. I look at other people's computers and I wonder how they can tolerate the modern ad-laden internet.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 07:11:18 pm
content: I am using Firefox and the hosts file and no adblocker or antivirus and have no problem with popups, videos or anything else. What I see is "Unable to connect" where the ads should be.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 07:15:48 pm
content: You don't know what scripts are running if things are only blocked in the hosts file, this is especially an issue when using older operating systems and/or browsers. With an ad blocker I can just right-click on anything I want to block, whether it be an ad or someone's annoying animated signature on a forum. If I want to temporarily allow something on a particular page I can do that easily. It also blocks all the ads on youtube, both the video commercials that abruptly cut in and interrupt what I'm watching and the various things that pop up over the video. I stopped even trying to use youtube on my phone, the way the ads work makes for a really terrible experience.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 07:51:49 pm
content: Well, all I am saying is I do not have a serious enough problem with ads that I would consider installing an adblocker. I don't get popups or much of any annoying things. Maybe it is the kind of pages I visit and that I tend to disable scripts and generally lock down the browser. If I visit one of those nudie pages and they don't work I just go elsewhere because I am sure as heck not enabling anything so I can see some titties.Same with antivirus software. I consider it a nuisance. I have never got a virus since the beginning of time. I am not saying it is impossible just that for me being careful is the best and sufficient antivirus.I liked how in the old Internet Explorer you could assign pages and web sites to zones so that they had different permissions.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2019, 10:40:39 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on June 01, 2019, 07:15:48 pmDepending on your phone (Android or IOS), I use youtube vanced on my Android device. It blocks ads in the video.https://youtubevanced.com/I used the magisk version, but there is a non-root version.PS. I use openwrt on my router with simple-adblock installed on it. It helps with Android and IOS devices where you may not have root or access to hosts file or can't install ublock origin/adblock/etc.https://github.com/openwrt/packages/tree/master/net/simple-adblock/files

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2019, 01:00:25 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on June 01, 2019, 03:00:27 pmI a still using Win XP PRO SP3 and Zonealarm and I just got a nice popup and looking up the IP the OS is trying to connect to it turns out to be something called Microsoft Azure. Those people at MS are so helpful. They want to know if there is anything they can help me with.

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 08:40:41 am
content: Quote from: Ampera on May 30, 2019, 06:59:17 amhttps://cialu.net/enable-hardware-acceleration-firefox-make-faster/

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 11:07:13 am
content: Quote from: Yansi on May 31, 2019, 09:55:01 pmHiYansi. This is mainly in reply to 'Bud'. (I've noticed his later *middle-finger* abuse is now gone...)During some of his back & forward rants, he & others talked of now putting up with 'Avast'sAds??(My original Post Reply is somewhere in the middle of Page-2).I don'y know what he was referencing, but I have NEVER seen any sort of 'Ad' within the Avast Secure Browser !?And as for the put-downs relating to "Collecting Personal Info", that once RUNNING their Browser, you can disable it !....Obviously, Avast is a Company, but their interest IS about general security too! Although the Browser is now a freeand totally separate entity now, I'm sure they would like people to look at their antivirus suite too, after seeing/usingtheir Browser. There are NO such Ads, andNOsuch requests toBUYanything ! Under their numerous security features,the ONLY module (of many) not initially enabled, is for full VPN integration. (Don't know many 'good' ones for free...).And the 'free' version of Avast AntiVirus works seamlessly with the Browser, in real time. Check this review......https://www.ghacks.net/2018/04/09/avast-secure-browser-review/I only mentioned ALL i 1st replied, before, as there is no problem with using any such adblockers etc etc.Not to have those in ivory towers shoot arrows down onto mere Minions below, and think it's fun....

author: dnwheeler
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 09:57:47 pm
content: I still surprised that the advertising industry went down a path that allows the ads to be blocked in the first place.When I first started developing web sites, the ads weren't sent directly to the client system, they were retrieved by the server and embedded into the page before being served. There was no third-party data retrieval, and even the click-throughs went back to the host server to be tracked and cause the redirect. There was no way to tell what part of a page was content, and what was advertisement.If adblockers become ubiquitous, something like this will probably return (the same way that many YouTubers are putting commercials directly in their video content).

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 10:29:29 pm
content: Quote from: dnwheeler on June 03, 2019, 09:57:47 pmAdblock Plus has the option to still allow "acceptable ads", the idea being that advertisers would just make their ads acceptable rather than trying to evade the adblockers.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 12:17:33 am
content: It wasn't until ads got absolutely obnoxious that I started blocking them, and now I block almost all ads, the only exception are some forums like this one where a small number of banner ads are vaguely relevant and not intrusive. My view is that advertisers dug their own graves by engaging in an arms race of ever more annoying and obnoxious ads. The more someone tries to forcefully grab my attention the more forcefully I resist. Being an atypical consumer, the vast majority of ads are not relevant to me at all. Advertisers should be thanking me for blocking ads I have zero intent to click on. When they do manage to display ads it's just costing them impressions and the occasional accidental click with no return on their investment.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 02:25:56 am
content: I'll have to remember that one: "I'm optimizing the performance of the overall ad marketplace by not wasting them on my zero-ROI self."

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 03:13:34 am
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on May 30, 2019, 09:40:38 amFrom what I learned, Firefox doesn't support hardware acceleration BY DEFAULT in Linux. You have to configure it manually.Quote from: Ampera on May 30, 2019, 09:56:23 amJust type about:config, changelayers.acceleration.force-enabledfromfalsetotrue, and restart your Firefox.Further details and caveatshere.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 06:16:32 am
content: Mozilla's Servo Beginning To Work On Linux Video Accelerationhttps://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Servo-Starting-Linux-Video-Acc

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 06:32:10 am
content: Quote from: bsfeechannel on June 04, 2019, 03:13:34 amDidn't I go through like twice about how this is exactly what I am /not/ talking about? You even quoted a reply of me delicately explaining how there is more than one thing that can be GPU accelerated in a browser, and that I was really only concerned about hardware /video/ decoding. Regardless, this is hardware accelerated compositing, which must be a new addition, as my personal account is that Firefox did not have this. It's useless to me, but as I understand it, a prerequisite to hardware video decoding (VA-API), as it needs to have a way to push the decoded frames to screen (or something like that).Quote from: Karel on June 04, 2019, 06:16:32 amGood news to hear, I'd still be interested in giving Pale Moon the first shot, as Mozilla has the same sorts of issues every large scale FOSS project has (tonedeaf developers, complicated development cycles, the need to radically redesign everything every five minutes, etc). Not that this is the case for /all/ large scale FOSS developers, but I already have Wayland and GNOME on my tablet, I don't need to add even more rubbish.I'm still betting on some fork to come along replacing all this stupidity, so I can keep my UI and Google integration, which is why I enjoy Chromium.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2019, 12:16:44 am
content: Yeah, that's one of the reasons I don't let my mobile devices have Internet access 24x7. I tried it years ago and it just runs up data usage while running down the battery.I used to use Tasker to automatically connect mobile data when I logged into the phone and then turn it off when I turned the screen off. However, Google took away the ability for apps to control turning on/off mobile data.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2019, 12:36:06 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on June 05, 2019, 12:16:44 amRoot it and show them who's boss.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2019, 01:01:48 am
content: It is rooted, but the API call was removed.I haven't yet looked into newer versions of Android to see if an alternative was finally put into the API.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2019, 01:23:29 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on June 05, 2019, 01:01:48 amHave you tried Xposed?

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2019, 01:44:34 am
content: Ah, I had forgotten about it. I'll check it out. Thanks.Found this module:https://repo.xposed.info/module/ma.wanam.smartnetwork

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2019, 06:58:51 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on June 05, 2019, 12:16:44 amYou can disable network access though. This would of course disable your local Wifi when at home though.

author: windsmurf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2019, 02:55:02 am
content: Google: We're not killing ad blockers. Translation: We made them too powerful, we'll cram this genie back in its bottle"We want to make Chrome safer... by taking away the API we used to race Firefox"https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/06/13/google_chrome_ad_blockers/

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 01:34:39 pm
content: After delaying for four years, google will finally pull the plug of manifest V2.Google is purging ad-blocking extension uBlock Origin from the Chrome Web StoreMigration from all-powerful Manifest V2 extensions is speeding uphttps://www.techspot.com/news/105130-google-purging-ad-blocking-extension-ublock-origin-chrome.html

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 03:46:29 pm
content: I have switched to Firefox a long time ago, never been happier with a browser.And I guess at some point setting up PiHole would be a good idea.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 03:58:00 pm
content: Quote from: windsmurf on June 13, 2019, 02:55:02 amToo powerful for them or they want ALL the power and the API all to themselves.I imagine soon, they'll start restricting stuff in Developer Tools citing security and safety.https://www.pcmag.com/news/googles-chrome-browser-starts-disabling-ublock-originQuoteUTTER BULLSHITQuoteI am using Vivaldi at the moment which is Chrome just dressed up but does not auto update. If I find messages about extensions "not following best practice" and then being removed it is time for me to start planning earlier.I'd hate to go throw another mind boggling month worth of effort like in 2020 of choosing Firefox build and spend a lot of time disabling CRAP and annoying decorations and animations.After lot of unwanted pop ups with dialogues and Mozilla offers with eye hurting DIMMING OVERLAYS behind them in Firefox 80 that I absolutely hate more than the dialogues themselves I don't really want to go back to Firefox.I opened something on their forums back then which never got published and it got deleted.There is Palemoon which I use for certain things but it seems slow but still very useful.

author: Bryn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 04:03:13 pm
content: Thank christ I never used Chrome... never saw what the hype was about it back then

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 04:11:43 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on May 30, 2019, 11:22:19 amI thought maintaining their own flavour of Chromium was exactly what they did.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 04:22:05 pm
content: I noticed Ublock lite which I read does support Manifest 3:https://ublockorigin.comI had a look see attach picture and at and whilst it does have a whitelist it has no blacklist. I wonder if this was one of the restrictions. I can't add my own filter list which makes it ABSOLUTELY USELESS for me.It is not adverts I am interested in blocking unless they go past their boundary and cause me problems. It is the decorations and animations; repetitive eye hurting dimming overlays, illusions creating gradients over thumbnails and pictures, CPU resource wasting animated placeholders that slow everything down on web pages that enrage me.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 04:49:59 pm
content: No user lists of any kind is one of the restrictions in the Mv3. All block lists have to be supplied by the extension author and the updates can be delayed arbitrarily by google review process.Browser situation sucks. Next independent one to watch is Ladybird, although its development is now also sponsored by some organization. I have not looked at what that org is. And they are a long way away from a usable browser anyway.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 05:25:14 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on October 15, 2024, 04:49:59 pmAbsolutely disgusting and anti consumer.A browser that will now work against the user under the guise of security and safety.It is my browsing experience, I should have the right to not see things I do not want to see when it is delivered to me whether it's be through element hiders, StickyDuck & Sticky Header Hider aka Fixed Header Fixer for unclosable sticky/fixed spammy toolbars and widgets whilst scrolling, or removing individual elements through Developer tools.Adverts are another matter but I have legitimate use for these element hiders that may not involve adverts and not of them.How can user lists be a safety or security issue?I am totally against this and I don't want a browser that after ever release is starting to dictate more and more then tell me it is for my own security and safety.Time to gradually move to another platform away from Vivaldi if it applies to their source or upstream.It looks like I will have to mull over what I can do with the newer Firefox LTS to see if I can once again get it the way I want like with release 75.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 06:21:23 pm
content: Installed Firefox 128.23 disabled the usual and in about config but all this crap still kept on appearing:https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-suggest-faq#w_what-is-firefox-suggestand this:https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1327324QuoteBullshit... this was an old about:config preference I think was not named with "suggestion" in it like many others a decade ago and I can't remember which one it was but suggestions don't show up after copying one of the old profiles across to this new copy at the bottom.I noticed this time they made GOOD change they reverted on something:THANK YOU MOZILLA.A lot better than this:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/dodgy-technology/badbloated-web-design/200/I didn't expect them to revert but that is one improvement in retaining that preference.I copied over the old data profile from Firefox 75 and it does actually workin 125 but the tabs no longer appears on the toolbar which I can still work with. I'll just try to open new windows instead.Now when I type I don't get auto action. The only thing which I think I was able to do before is turn up that annoying blue ring around the address bar on select. Chrome does have one but it is not as thick.Also these STUPID things have creeped in on startup but it doesn't animate and hog up CPU time.Edge started to introduce these in about 2021 in their browser but their ones animate and slow everything down/hog cpu time up which is why I stopped using it.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2024, 09:59:07 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on October 15, 2024, 04:49:59 pmThe list of sponsors is given on their website. The largest one is Shopify. Whether it's a problem, probably not for a good while. Maybe if the browser starts getting some traction, but for now it's barely early alpha stuff.Otherwise, there a fork of Firefox: ishttps://librewolf.net/, haven't tried it yet.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 04:12:12 am
content: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41809698#:~:text=>We will keep Manifest v2,the changes to the code.QuoteThat looks very promising and may increase their market share again.https://vivaldi.com/blog/manifest-v3-update-vivaldi-is-future-proofed-with-its-built-in-functionality/QuoteSo some time to go with Vivaldi.I don't care what Manifest 3 does as long as I can block things like before and provide my own user list which shouldn't be much to ask for. I could understand with extensions preloaded with remote filter lists they may not like but no they designed it like that to deny a preference the user once had through the extensions.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 04:16:49 am
content: Vivaldi and other Chromium-based browsers will be forced to do whatever google does to the code base, there is no way they will be back-porting it.The 2025 date is because chrome would not really drop it until that time. Corporate users will be able to force mv2 to remain active until then, so it would have to remain in the code.There is some setting you can make that will do the same thing as corporate customers, so Chrome would work the same until mid 2025.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 04:39:33 am
content: I wonder if this will eventually impact Chrome's market share.So the only things I see left out there is:FirefoxPalemoon (some continuation of Firefox 20+ that still works and maintained but is slow for quite a few things)Sad to see Opera (Presto) gone and now Chrome/Google have too much power.https://grantwinney.com/what-is-manifest-v3-and-why-is-google-pestering-me/QuoteSounds like micro managing to me.QuoteLooks like it is time to officially jump ship.

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 10:29:51 am
content: In other news Google et.al have been re-imagining HTTP in terms of HTTP(S)/3 and QUIC.In short, QUIC and HTTP3 provide aggregated VPN tunnels and not "connections" for request response.A website, which you make a single HTTP connection to will open an encrypted connection via QUIC protocol. Once established it will then allow multiple connections to be opened "through" it. Like a VPN server.The thing is. QUIC is opague to all layers of IT security. No firewalls can even identify there are sub connections.The short is. QUIC = open bridge.Now we can debate the pros and cons of this new way of doing things, sure it has got technical and security implications both positive and negtaive.However, in light of Google's current aggression in changing the internet to suit itself... I can only begin to wonder what else Google/Meta et. al are using this "new approach" to the WWW for. How does it boost their bottom line?EDIT: Note. For now, industry and people who care, can block QUIC entirely and the browser will fall back to normal HTTP mode.Also note. HTTP3 is not required for QUIC. QUIC is already in use by Google and Meta over HTTP2

author: paulca
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 10:38:30 am
content: While we are ripping browsers.When did it become acceptable to obfuscate links in the status bar?Open google search. Search for something. The first few links will be sponsored ads. Hover over one of them.Do you see the parasite redirect link? Nope. Now go into the source/developer view and look at the link in the code. Click the link. Did it go where the browser said it would? No.Why? When did this become acceptible? How do I identify a trojan link? How is this used by scammers now?EDIT: I can see how this went in my head. "Those long complicated URL encoded links like:http://ww3.tower5.ads-fuck-ya.scamsareus.com/redirect?url=http://innocent-looking-site.com&purpose=PROBABLY_A_SCAM_CANDIDATE&uuid=ACDEFACADEF35425;scare our customers off. Can you hide them?"The point is they SHOULD be scared. They are tracking links or worse. I WANT to know where the link ACTUALLY goes.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 12:20:23 pm
content: Quote from: paulca on October 16, 2024, 10:38:30 amUnfortunately, this is quiet common since some time and not just google.I don't like it either.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 02:03:05 pm
content: Quote from: paulca on October 16, 2024, 10:38:30 amVivaldi only does it on mouse hover and really quick.Firefox seems to show it a bit slower.I have seen lots of activity with Palemoon after the page has loaded.

author: SteveThackery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 04:21:49 pm
content: Unfortunately, I think FireFox for Android is a bit pants. Not really a prime time product. I love using it on my PC, though. So for now I am sticking with Vivaldi, which is good on all platforms. Except, of course, it's based on Chrome.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 06:39:46 pm
content: Touchscreens are pants in general. I only use the Internet on my phone or a tablet, when I'm away, otherwise I use my desktop. I've recently downloaded AdBlocker for YouTube, for Firefox, which works quite well.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 10:01:04 pm
content: QuoteTryWaterfox. It's Firefox with the egregious stuff removed.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 10:07:20 pm
content: QuoteFor Android, take a look atBlokada, which is an ad-blocker at the OS level (thus browser agnostic). It works by pretending to be a VPN so captures traffic and can then block appropriate sources or destinations. There are blocklists to auto-load (like browser ad-blockers have).It's available on Play but that's the subscription version (and Google...). Best download V5 from Github and sideload the APK.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2024, 10:23:44 pm
content: Quote from: paulca on October 16, 2024, 10:38:30 amTry enabling ublock Annoyances list.Though it may break some sites.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2024, 07:01:14 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on October 16, 2024, 10:23:44 pmAnother one to look at isGoogle Search URL Fixupwhich, well, fixes the results links to be the actual target.A side effect is that if you have external links to open in a new tab (so off-site links get the new tab, on-site stay in the original tab) then search results open in a new tab rather than replacing the search results. Sounds roundabout but if you're set that way you'll know what it is and like the fix

author: andersblur
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 18, 2024, 02:36:09 pm
content: Ahttps://pi-hole.net/also helps.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2024, 02:41:58 pm
content: Pi Hole is great for ads by domain, but it would not do anything for element hiding. And I use that a lot and it would suck to lose that. Hopefully Firefox holds on to v2.And Mv3 also breaks extensions like Tampermonkey / Greasemonkey.

author: Bryn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 06:24:01 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on October 18, 2024, 02:41:58 pmI pray to God it doesn't break NoScript either...

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 07:08:41 am
content: It will. As of now NoScript is not compatible with Mv3. As far as I know, they are working on some solution, but it will not be 100% the same. And what will break only time will tell.Realistically, people need to start abandoning chrome because knowing google, the next step is server side rendering.

author: Bryn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 08:01:02 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on October 19, 2024, 07:08:41 amEven if they do, I don't expect to see a substantial drop in its market share (it's at a staggering 65% right now)...

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 08:29:44 am
content: It will be exactly the same as Windows 7 - initial horror, refusal to update, grudging tryout, ..., "you're a fool to stay with that old shit".

author: Bryn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 09:17:31 am
content: By the way, no matter the controversy with this, it has been recently named"the most trusted browser"... I wish I was having a laugh, but I'm clearly not

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 10:01:24 am
content: Perversely, that link shows a 500 page when something, possibly an advert, can't load

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 03:21:00 pm
content: Quote from: Bryn on October 19, 2024, 09:17:31 amWindows comes with Edge (Chrome à la Microsoft), and Android with Chrome. Market share doesn't imply trust. And we can argue that Mv3 cripples ad blockers which will lead to more malvertising and scams, i.e. less safety for users.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 03:46:13 pm
content: Quote from: Bryn on October 19, 2024, 09:17:31 amSo trusted that they won't trust the user anymore with their own block lists for the element hiders.I looked at this Chromebook in 2019 where the owner was using it for their banking. One day the bank put a block on their account when too many? login attempts were made and they were foreign I think. They asked him to bring in what he uses but decided they were not interested looking at it when he turned up with it and they just removed the block. He found the bank's website would no longer loaded on the Chromebook. I found lots of browser extensions installed with the first one being "Free Calculator." I remove all of them, looked at what was installed but it seemed so locked down no file system access to see where these things are stored and see if there are other things installing them.Opening chrome again the Banks website still not reachable. After restart, same thing and I noticed the extensions started to reappear again. Read instructions for a factory reset, waited a little while and that did it and the banks website loaded. Maybe the DNS settings where compromised. I did look for things like DNS and if a proxy was set and did some tests but couldn't detect it.Maybe the only thing I could was the factory reset.Turned out their children was involved and used it play games which and were entice in these "free" extensions things that seemed to have basically taken over the browser well I remembered the browser look a bit different to me in appearance and it had stuff in the hamburger menu's that were not there after the factory reset.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 10:04:39 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on October 16, 2024, 04:16:49 amWhat's to stop them maintaining a fork that retains the old API? Or extending the new API to return the features the adblockers use? Or even create a whole new API just for adblockers?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 10:26:02 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on October 19, 2024, 10:04:39 pmThe amount of effort required to do that. Without ability to easily commit changes to the upstream, it will be harder and harder as time goes on. And google will surely mess up that part of the code to make their lives harder.Which is exactly what is said in the quote from them "We expect to drop support in June 2025, but we may maintain it longer or be forced to drop support for it sooner, depending on the precise nature of the changes to the code.". This indicates that all they want to do is maintain the UI and not mess with the core engine.