C No Evil Toolbar

This browser add-on replaces the ads on a Web page with pictures of your choice, but a slow load time and quirky on and off buttons are the trade-offs.

C No Evil Toolbar is added to your Internet Explorer browser and includes buttons to access the publisher's Web site, turn the program on or off, and select one of the two default pictures to show in lieu of ads. You'll also see the number of ads C No Evil Toolbar has replaced, and if you find a site in which the toolbar doesn't work, you can submit it to the publisher's site.

Our tests showed that it seemed to work better with Firefox than with Internet Explorer. In IE we found that C No Evil locked up occasionally when we turned it on or off. It also disrupted the layout of some pages when the images weren't sized appropriately for the ads. The program is free, but you can register it to create your own albums of ad-replacement images. C No Evil Toolbar might prove to be more of a disruption to your surfing than a flashing ad, but it won't cost you anything to try, and it's suitable for any level user.