A newer version of NoAds is available.
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14 out of 25 people found this review helpful
4 stars
Version: NoAds 2006.02.04
"Awesome. Though, avoiding IE builtin popup blocker may lead to unwanted ActiveX"
Pros: Its free.
It has an awesome easy-to-use interface.
Supports Netscape (old and new), Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Internet Explorer and AOL Browser (not to be confused with AOL Explorer...Im talking about the most hated AOL Client software).
When you decide to add an open popup to the filter target list by clicking the Add to Targets button after highlighting the specified popup, it not only adds the entry, it closes the popup for you. It would be nice if a lot more programs targeted at filtering would do such an action.
Updates your filter list with one on the server.
Program keeps track of the number of popups blocked.
Lets you go so far as blocking windows from other programs...even IM programs. So...if you dont want to talk to a certain person...you can avoid him without even blocking him/her.
The red X button closes to the tray...huzzah!
Ram cost is minimal...I'm reading 720KB physical, and 1,484KB virtual right now.
Cons: The default filter list is quite short considering that this is a POPUP blocker. Popups have been around for so long that you would figure by now a list of thousands of entries could be compiled. The program has a list of 74 targets, 37 targets duped for IE/FF. This means you are going to have to do a LOT of work compiling a list of filter targets. And considering the negative pub that popup ads received years ago, besides the fact that IE, FF and Opera come with built in popup blockers, you will be hard pressed to find sites that will provide you with a source for defining popup ads.
Again, in this day of age, popups are hard to come by really. Today is all about built in advertisements. So a real filtering program will filter popup ads and ads integrated into webpages...unfortunately NoAds only goes the popup route, which is where programs like AdMuncher come in.
To actually USE NoAds for its intended use, you have to disable the built in popup blockers in IE/FF. And if you have used the IE blocker, you know it not only blocks normal popups, but it blocks download windows, including malicious ActiveX installs. We have become a bit jaded since IE6 SP2. Boy I remember the days of IE6, and IE6 SP1, where those ActiveX installers were never blocked and how easy it is to install them. SP2 completely stops them, and if you stop the SP2 popup blocker just to use NoAds you will find yourself returning to the days of IE6 SP1 (and pre-SP1 days as well) since, as mentioned above, you have to tell NoAds to block those windows before the program actually starts blocking them. For this reason alone this program seems to be directed at the people who are annoyed at the IE6 SP2 popup blocker blocking the download windows for SAFE downloads you the user have authorized from a download site like Download.com...or just SAFE popups for that matter.
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