User friendly DNS database software for novices and advanced users. Allows local IP address mapping by creating a Hosts file for your computer. Local IP mapping can help speed up web surfing, and allows content filtering and privacy protection by blocking designated hosts. Hostal supports Time to Live to prevent stale host mappings. For users on a network, Hostal detects an existing Hosts file and incorporates those settings as well. Hostal supports exporting hosts files for different platforms. Easy to use database makes managing a Hosts file a snap. Available for Mac OS X.
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />I had spent a lot of time playing around on the command line trying to get lookupd to use my hosts file, as well as downloading different (incorrectly formatted) hosts files. With hostal, I was up and running instantly.
Strips out ads on web pages
unknown user--2008
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Use Safari's activity window to see where the ads are coming from, then use Hostal to block those domains. Web pages clean up great! Contrary to the user manual, it does not appear you need to restart your Mac under OS X for the changes to take effect. Perhaps just clear the cache or restart your browser.
Easier than setting up your own, and works
JDar
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />After getting ready to put my own hosts file implemetation in OS X.3.3 I discovered Hostal. It works, works easily and without any visible problems. For those concerned about pw entry directly into program, Little Snitch isn't reporting any calling out by Hostal. I'll trust it, pay for it, use it.
I like it!
squishy
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />great program, isn't a system extension so it doens't crash things or use up memory and slow things down. Works well except for one thing, the ip lookup button never works, i have to do a manual trace route in ipnetmonitor, but otherwise it's pretty solid. Nice and easy ad blocker.
-1 star for the broken ip lookup.
gregK
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Works great. A nice, simple graphical .hosts file editor.
IIR
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Very, very bad in that if you close the window or quit, it still alters your /etc/hosts file. A total no-no.
Anonymous--2008
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Haha, jwiede, anyone could make a fake Trampoline dialog and no one would know the difference. So you see why your argument is bunk.
Ameslan
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />My original review has disappeared so I'll post it again. After I installed this, my Mac froze. I rebooted and tried using internet related software
gregK
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />Works great.
Bicquet666
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This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />crashed on startup after install not worth the price, or anything!