Acceptable Ads

Add Block Plus logoI generally use the Firefox Browser when I want to surf the Internet.  Unlike proprietary browsers (like Internet Explorer), Firefox will work with any Operating system, whether Microsoft Windows or any Apple or Linux varieties. Because it’s free software, one of the great things about Firefox is the catalogue of free add-ons available to users.

One of the add-ons I’ve been using longest is called “Ad Block” which does a terrific job, not only of blocking annoying intrusive advertising, but of helping keep my computer secure. If you want it to, Adblock Plus can also:

  • Malware Blocking Block domains that are known to be infected by malware to make browsing the internet more secure.
  • Remove Social Media Buttons Remove social media integration such as the Facebook Like button that track your browsing habits.
  • Disable Tracking There are hundreds of ad companies tracking your every move, but you can easily disable all tracking to browse privately.

Advertising in and of itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can help support the content we want to see. It’s only when it does things we don’t want it to, either by using a lot of bandwidth for flashy video ad animation, compromising our security, invading our privacy or simply annoying us by interrupting the article we want to read that it goes too far.

Which is why Ad Block Plus actually allows some advertising. I’m one of the 75% of AdBlock users who don’t object to reasonable Internet ads. The hope is that advertisers will limit website ads to those that follow these guidelines.

Do you think advertisers will learn users will block their expensive, invasive and dangerous advertising, instead opting to follow Ad Block’s guidelines?

If they don’t, more and more of us will never see their ads.


Free Software Day celebrations in Kitchener, Ontario will be taking place this Saturday at Kwartzlab, on Saturday, September 28th, 2013

the SPAMbucket #1

When I receive email like this from a total stranger:

“Sorry to disturb you ,
I have a question- have you seen this picture of yours in attachment??
Three facebook friends sent it to me today… why did you put it online? wouldn’t it harm your job? what if parents see it? you must be way cooler than I thought about you man :))))”

. . . the stranger’s intent is clearly to get me to open the attachment. Doing this is guaranteed to be good for the spammer, and bad for me.

I don’t want malware, spyware, viruses etc on my computer.

Don’t do it.

DELETE IT

Rule of thumb:

NEVER open an attachment

in an unsolicited email from a stranger.


Also: I’ve just turned off comments on this blog due to absurd quantities of comment spam. For reasons I don’t understand, the WordPress blacklist isn’t working, so I can’t even train it to filter.

If you want to post a real comment, send me an email, and I’ll post it.