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Pugzly
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: 127.0.0.1
Insane since: Apr 2000

posted posted 05-24-2004 03:40

She's running XP Home, and she's 300 miles away. I've never had to look into a popup blocker for AOL....

poi
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: France
Insane since: Jun 2002

posted posted 05-24-2004 03:48

When I used AOL ( that was around the AOL 4.0 ), I only used their crap to connect to the net and then used my browser of choice, which at the time was the brand new IE5.0. If the things haven't changed your friend could use any browser and install a popup blocker if that feature isn't built in it.

krets
Paranoid (IV) Mad Scientist

From: Right-dead center
Insane since: Nov 2002

posted posted 05-24-2004 03:51

1. Uninstall AOL.
2. Get a real internet service.
3. Use Google toolbar or Moz browser.



I don't know anything about AOL but I would think you could install something like the Google toolbar, etc.

:::11oh1:::

Pugzly
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: 127.0.0.1
Insane since: Apr 2000

posted posted 05-24-2004 03:55

Not an option. She's in the boonies. I've got her using IE for now, which is better....

poi
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: France
Insane since: Jun 2002

posted posted 05-24-2004 04:04

So, if she's using IE, get her to install the Google toolbar, or the Windows XP SP2 RC1 ( aka the mamouth )

Pugzly
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: 127.0.0.1
Insane since: Apr 2000

posted posted 05-24-2004 04:26

Yeah, I thought about the XP SP2 route, but she's on dialup. Not something I want her to have to download.... Popups in IE are pretty rare for her. But she likes the AOL int.

reitveld
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: Kansas City, MO USA
Insane since: Sep 2001

posted posted 05-24-2004 04:28

I 2nd the google toolbar. Its very good.

Can also get AdSubtract. Its great and it kills the adds

Pugzly
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: 127.0.0.1
Insane since: Apr 2000

posted posted 05-24-2004 06:36

Well, the Google toolbar is good (I used it till I upgraded to SP2). But it wont work in the native AOL browser.

docilebob
Maniac (V) Mad Scientist

From: buttcrack of the midwest
Insane since: Oct 2000

posted posted 05-24-2004 16:31

If she`s using I5+, Crazy Browser is a cool way to go. It`s a shell for IE that includes many of the features IE should have had anyway. One of which is a very effective pop-up blocker.

White Hawk
Bipolar (III) Inmate

From: Sitting in front of a PC..?
Insane since: May 2004

posted posted 05-24-2004 17:03

Best way to block pop-ups on AOL is to use aother ISP.

Alternatively, use Google Toolbar in Internet Explorer (as already mentioned) and avoid using AOL's native browser altogether.

AOL sucks noodle.

That could be a headline...

(Edited by White Hawk on 05-24-2004 17:08)

Aynscough
Neurotic (0) Inmate
Newly admitted

From:
Insane since: Jun 2004

posted posted 06-07-2004 16:08

Run services.msc and disable messenger alerts. This is NOT Windows Messenger - AOL seems to make use of it a lot to bug you!

Wes
Paranoid (IV) Mad Scientist

From: Inside THE BOX
Insane since: May 2000

posted posted 06-07-2004 23:09

Anyone noticing several pop-ups getting through lately despite the Google Toolbar?

At0mic_PC
Bipolar (III) Inmate

From: Columbia MS USA
Insane since: Apr 2001

posted posted 06-08-2004 01:10

You can attack popups 3 ways.

1. Download and install a hosts file. When the user requests a page the browser checks this file to see if the IP of the URL is in it. If so it uses that address. If not then it looks it up on the ISP's name server. By setting known ad companies to 127.0.0.1 you trick it to not be displayed. Won't stop all popups.

2. Download and install admuncher. It sits in the system tray and just replaces ads with text mostly saying [ad munched.] I think but can't remember for sure that it still allows the ad to be clicked, just no images. Will stop a few popups but not all.

3. Download and install mozilla or mozilla firefox. Go through the prefs and turn off popups.

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made. --Groucho Marx

poi
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: France
Insane since: Jun 2002

posted posted 06-08-2004 01:16

3. (bis) Download and install Opera.

Xpirex
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: Still looking..
Insane since: Mar 2003

posted posted 06-08-2004 03:10

Tell your friend to upgrade to the free AOL 9.. it has a built in pop up blocker. I also use Zone Alarm with it's pop up and add blocker.. and I have not seen a pop up or add on my screen for months..

QUOTATION: Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." -Terry Pratchett

WarMage
Maniac (V) Mad Scientist

From: Rochester, New York, USA
Insane since: May 2000

posted posted 06-08-2004 03:21

Wes: The popups that get past the google bar are user-initiated popups. This means that they popup when you mouseover a link or an image. The google bar doesn't block user-initiated popup windows because it believes that people who made it were under the impression that if you fire the popup you are probably trying to access some content that is presented in a popup window. You will just have to wait for a new version of the google bar that blocks popups fire from onmouseover events.

If your friend wants to not receive popups while using AOL she will have to stop using the default AOL browser. Tell her that using a different browser is the price she must pay for not getting popups. All the other solutions require some additional technical knowledge. If she is a normal user even something like Zone Alarm Pro's popup blocking will be really confusing, so much so that it will detract from the overall computing experience.

Xpirex
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: Still looking..
Insane since: Mar 2003

posted posted 06-08-2004 04:25

What??? when Zone alarm installs.. ..it asks you do you wish to enable pop-up and addblocker?... you click "Yes" ..end of story.. What could be simler than that? No expertise required at all..

QUOTATION: Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." -Terry Pratchett



(Edited by Xpirex on 06-08-2004 04:26)

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