AdShield

Discussion in 'privacy technology' started by spy1, Feb 28, 2002.

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  1. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    Just started using this program a few minutes ago, but so far I'm pretty impressed with it.

    This program runs as a BHO, which normally I wouldn't care for - but it's simplicity and effectiveness make it worth trying out!

    http://www.adshield.org/

    Pete
     
  2. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    This thing is putting a very big :) on my face. Killed all the ads on VDr., PC911 and removed several little gifs and avatars, gremlins and 'user pics' that have always irritated the living daylights out of me but that I've never bothered with before - one click, and they%2`Tšu4>:uà¼aš¤Î@3F¼ãaþ?ÁWQ®ZA
    Unless there's some hidden drawback I haven't had a chance to see yet, this program may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, as far as controlling what you see everytime you click a link.

    Can we all jump on this one and wring it out to see if it squeaks? Pete
     
  3. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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    I have installed it, but have yet to reboot so it is not active yet.

    I fully intend to participate in the testing of this product.

    I can't wait to weed out all of checkout's pictures, the guy is a walking carnival! LOL! jk, checkout, I let you keep the spinning skull (i like that) but that big@ss signature is gondy! hehe.
     
  4. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    I would greatly appreciate opinions on this product from all of those that have tried it - it seems to be a good idea, but any information on how well it co-exists with other programs (and various version of Windows, including Windows XP) would be appreciaited.
     
  5. MickeyTheMan

    MickeyTheMan Security Expert

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    Sure is easy to kill any .gifs or picture you don't like
    Javacool, no offense, bit yours is gone ! LOL
     
  6. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    "Requirements

    The only requirement for using AdShield is version 5 or higher of Microsoft® Internet Explorer running on the Microsoft Windows® operating system. Note that AdShield will not interfere with the use of other browsers you may have installed, but it won't block ads in them either."

    Here's hoping that they get with the program and make it work with Opera, too! Pete
     
  7. WE Sim

    WE Sim Guest

    Hi! :D

    I have been using AdShield for some time now and with the availability of a pre-written block list from :

    http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/main.htm

    makes the usage a smooth one.

    AdShield doesn't work in OPERA neither does it work if you're using myIE instead of IE as a browser.

    Also, if you're posting in dslreports.com, turn off the cache feature otherwise you would not be able to log in.

    Thats all I have so far. Hope that somebody else can contribute.

    Thanks
     
  8. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    WE Sim - I can't get either of those two links to load - you are talking about these, correct?
    http://members.home.net/winhelp98/hosts.htm
    http://members.home.net/winhelp98/block.txt Pete
     
  9. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    Lol...no offense taken...

    I'm still looking for something better...
     
  10. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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    I am loving this program.

    I nuked that java avatar too! hehe, too bad that big ugly text from Checkout isn't a picture but text instead!

    Paul, you should rake in the loot by selling a million ad spaces on your site, then we can block em all with this great program, and you'll be rich! Not even an empty space is held for the ad! Best program I have tested in a while. I feel all giddy inside when I eliminate a picture that has annoyed me for some time. I might even take a stroll though the grc site again, now that I can get rid of the worlds biggest banners.
     
  11. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    Well I'm certainly glad you all like the avatar - lol.

    Its gone now - removed for everyone who DOESN'T have AdShield...
     
  12. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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    lol, being a walking billboard doesn't look good on you freind. Neither would a big microsoft logo. Pick something that is more personal to you and I promise I won't block it!

    I went to grc.com and blocked every oversized pic on the site. Now, the site is tolerable! See ya later spinright5 monster ad, adios leaktest behemoth banner...
     
  13. FanJ

    FanJ Guest

    Sorry UNICRON, I don't know what you're talking about!
     
  14. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    I'm sorry if you interpreted my avatar as a "walking billboard" - java just happens to be some darn good coffee, and a pretty good programming language (in my opinion - although run-time speed does not fare well against compiled programs).

    I'm still looking for a free service that will host my gifs for use as avatars... Many of the free homepage services block such use.
     
  15. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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    Email em to me, I'll send you back the urls to then so you can use them anywhere.
     
  16. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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  17. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    Just a quick question for all users of this program:

    Not to be disrespectful to those who wrote this program, but I'd like to know a couple things:

    -The website is simply text, and I could find no more information on the company that produced this software, or any ways of contacting them (besides email).
    -Dealing with the first one, how do we know it does ONLY what the website says it does?
    -Also, have you checked to make sure it does not send any data out by itself - i.e. tracking where you go?
    -And is the ONLY thing it installs that one .dll file?

    Again, no disrespect to the authors of this program, it certainly seems to be a great program.

    But as I have spent a bit of time keeping my computers spyware (and scumware) free, I do not think it could hurt to ask (since it acts BETWEEN Internet Explorer and the net...)

    Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
     
  18. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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    Use a prog like inctr5 to see what is changed during the install.

    well with all the security stuff we have, he'd have earned all the info he got sent ;)
     
  19. FanJ

    FanJ Guest

    Without AdShield you can do such a thing too:

    Just blocked diamondcs.solargiant.com using Hostess.
     
  20. UNICRON

    UNICRON Technical Expert

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    touche!
     
  21. WE Sim

    WE Sim Guest

    Hi spy1!

    Yes. The 2 links posted by you are where you can get the block list. I just tried to access the sites but without success. I think the servers may have some problems. You can try again later.

    ;)
     
  22. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    Javacool - Good questions! Maybe someone can use a sniffer on it and find out?

    It would be heart-breaking if it turned out to be something flaky, wouldn't it?

    I'm emailing the developer to see if he'll join in the discussion here. Pete
     
  23. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    I would appreciate having the developer join the conversation here - I may decide to use on of my test PCs to test this program out (with InCTRL5) to make sure all it installs is that one program. Though I don't know if I will have time to use a sniffer on it.

    I was asking because I DID have problems with programs in the past.

    For example, w00w00 originally broke the news about what AIM vulnerability - in their bulletin, they posted a link to AIM Filter (a program that would allow you to block the crash - it ran as a proxy server), which turned out to have a secret "admin" function where the author of the program could shut down your machine and (quote from site) "screw you over if you messed with [his] friends". Luckily for me, I only used this program for a short period of time on only one computer. (What also concerned me, before I learned of the secret function in this program, was that it would allow you to crash other people's Instant Messenger programs - which certainly gave it another, more nefarious purpose...)

    Obviously, you can't always trust the seemingly good nature of websites in reference to the programs they distribute. In addition, because of the way this program works...it leaves a little room for concern.

    Again, no disrespect to the author(s) of this program intended.
     
  24. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    (Reply to my email from Doug Lee, AdShields' creator):

    "Hi Pete,

    That's great, glad to hear the program's helping.  I'll try to join in
    the discussion at some point and of course all users are encouraged to
    address questions and coB=ZÉ…æè¶lÒ5Ïdt@adshield.org.  Meanwhile I
    took a quick look at some of the posts and would be happy to clarify a
    few things.  If you would post this to the forum that would be greatly
    appreciated.

    AdShield itself performs no internet I/O whatsoever.  The program
    transmits no data to anywhere.  Everything that isn't blocked is
    downloaded by IE using its standard mechanisms.  I don't even ask for
    any personal information when you download the program.  The
    adshield.dll is linked to some of the Microsoft internet I/O dlls such
    as wininet, ws2_32 and urlmon but that's just for things like examining
    the machine's local cache.  A dependency checker such as
    www.dependencywalker.com may be used to see which functions are actually
    called, they're harmless.  I would welcome independent confirmation from
    anyone with a sniffer.

    Apart from what you see in the AdShield folder nothing else in installed
    except two Microsoft runtime dlls, msvcrt.dll and mfc42.dll.  This is
    not spyware, adware or hackware.  I have no ulterior motives and again
    would welcome independent confirmation from anyone with an installation
    monitor.

    Yes the website looks low rent and no I didn't use notepad to create it.
    Of course it's only there so that people can download the program and
    get support.  I have to assume that users would prefer my limited
    resources be devoted to creating the best ad blocker.  There are plenty
    of other "sexy" sites out there with all the bells and whistles.

    True there's not much information about the company, AdShield, LLC.
    Well there's not much to say, it's me.  It was only formed to provide
    some small protection against the threat of being of being dragging into
    court by advertisers making ridiculous claims about their copyrights or
    free speech being violated.

    Mike Burgess has been kind enough to compile and maintain a sort of
    unofficial official AdShield block list.  His site has been at
    http://members.home.net/winhelp98/hosts.htm but seems to have gone
    offline only in the last day or two.  It was hosted by excite@home which
    has gone out of business so he may be in the process of moving it.

    The technologies that make AdShield so user friendly and effective are
    very specific to IE and not easily ported to Opera or Netscape.  The
    best hope here might be a collaboration with one of the proxy type
    blockers to leverage the program's ad identification interfaces.  I'm
    planning to add export block list to plain text and hosts file format in
    a future release which might be a step in this direction.

    All the best,
    Doug Lee"

    Doug - Welcome to Wilders and thanks for the response! Pete
     
  25. javacool

    javacool BrightFort Moderator

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    Thanks a lot for posting that response, spy1 (and thanks to Doug for checking out the posts and answering my questions - your clarification of how AdShield does its job is greatly appreciated).

    I think I'll go check out AdShield now...  :)
     
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