Question on HOSTS file

[siljaline]

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:37:46 +1000, "Graeme" <graeme23@go.[remove this and invalid]com
invalid> wrote:

>I recently decided to try out the use of a HOSTS file after reading about
>possible advantages so I downloaded the file at
>http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm.
>This has worked fine and I have been able to see various ads blocked outin
>Int Exp to confirm that it is working .However I thought I would give "Opera
>" a try out as an alternate browser , I first tried it out in its infancy
>when I was still using Netscape but did not persist .
>My question now is that when I use Opera I do not see any evidence of Ads
>being cut out . Does this mean that downloads of websites with Opera do not
>access the Hosts file or perhaps they are just covered up better. By theway
>I do not have the POP UP blocker enabled in Opera.
>Interested to know if anyone can throw any light on this.
>
>Graeme


Sorry, ISP is having trouble...

I can't comment on using HOSTS under an alternate Browser like Opera.
Taken the liberty of sending your query to the creator of the HOSTS file in question.
As soon as I have added comments, I will post back.

This file along with the batch files and HOSTS editor, work great under IE.

Regards,



--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_

[Graeme]

"siljaline" <siljaline@null.com> wrote in message
news:1qjtovkmiu0k4ecstbst9m163p49cef88t@4ax.com...
On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:37:46 +1000, "Graeme" <graeme23@go.[remove this and
invalid]com
invalid> wrote:

>I recently decided to try out the use of a HOSTS file after reading about
>possible advantages so I downloaded the file at
>http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm.
>This has worked fine and I have been able to see various ads blocked out in
>Int Exp to confirm that it is working .However I thought I would give
"Opera
>" a try out as an alternate browser , I first tried it out in its infancy
>when I was still using Netscape but did not persist .
>My question now is that when I use Opera I do not see any evidence of Ads
>being cut out . Does this mean that downloads of websites with Opera do not
>access the Hosts file or perhaps they are just covered up better. By the
way
>I do not have the POP UP blocker enabled in Opera.
>Interested to know if anyone can throw any light on this.
>
>Graeme


....

I can't comment on using HOSTS under an alternate Browser like Opera.
Taken the liberty of sending your query to the creator of the HOSTS file in
question.
As soon as I have added comments, I will post back.

This file along with the batch files and HOSTS editor, work great under IE.

Regards,

Thanks for your reply . I think I have now answered my own question. See
Post below.

Graeme



--

[Mr. Uh Clem]

Graeme wrote:
>
> "siljaline" <siljaline@null.com> wrote in message
> news:1qjtovkmiu0k4ecstbst9m163p49cef88t@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:37:46 +1000, "Graeme" <graeme23@go.[remove this and
> invalid]com
> invalid> wrote:
>
> >I recently decided to try out the use of a HOSTS file after reading about
> >possible advantages so I downloaded the file at
> >http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm.
> >This has worked fine and I have been able to see various ads blocked out in
> >Int Exp to confirm that it is working .However I thought I would give
> "Opera
> >" a try out as an alternate browser , I first tried it out in its infancy
> >when I was still using Netscape but did not persist .
> >My question now is that when I use Opera I do not see any evidence of Ads
> >being cut out . Does this mean that downloads of websites with Opera do not
> >access the Hosts file or perhaps they are just covered up better. By the
> way
> >I do not have the POP UP blocker enabled in Opera.
> >Interested to know if anyone can throw any light on this.
> >
> >Graeme
>
> ...
>
> I can't comment on using HOSTS under an alternate Browser like Opera.
> Taken the liberty of sending your query to the creator of the HOSTS file in
> question.
> As soon as I have added comments, I will post back.
>
> This file along with the batch files and HOSTS editor, work great under IE.
>
> Regards,
>
> Thanks for your reply . I think I have now answered my own question. See
> Post below.
>
> Graeme
>
> --

I don't think this is a matter of browser support, per se. I
_think_ Windows apps do the same thing Unix ones do, call
gethostbyname(). Under Windows, the host file is consulted
first, then DNS. (Under Unix, the resources searched can be
selected and ordered via the resolv.conf or nnswitch files.)

I've seen ad/spyware killing hosts files with either 0.0.0.0
or 127.0.0.1 (localhost). Localhost is in theory a legit
address. I believe when I tried this on my old NS 4.76, it
retried on the error (no web server to connect to), causing
delays. Zeros would not be a legitimate IP address, so web
browsers could get creative in ignoring an address which
resolved to zeros.

--
Clem
"If you push something hard enough, it will fall over."
- Fudd's first law of opposition

[BoB]

>Graeme wrote:
>>
>> On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:37:46 +1000, "Graeme" <graeme23@go.[remove this and
>> invalid]com
>> invalid> wrote:
>>
>> >I recently decided to try out the use of a HOSTS file after reading about
>> >possible advantages so I downloaded the file at
>> >http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm.
>> >This has worked fine and I have been able to see various ads blocked out in
>> >Int Exp to confirm that it is working .However I thought I would give
>> "Opera
>> >" a try out as an alternate browser , I first tried it out in its infancy
>> >when I was still using Netscape but did not persist .
>> >My question now is that when I use Opera I do not see any evidence of Ads
>> >being cut out . Does this mean that downloads of websites with Opera do not
>> >access the Hosts file or perhaps they are just covered up better. By the
>> >way I do not have the POP UP blocker enabled in Opera.
>> >Interested to know if anyone can throw any light on this.
>> >
>> >Graeme

I prefer Firebird for browsing but I've heard that when Opera
blocks ads, it becomes a blank area without even a box around
it, so it's hard to tell an ad is missing.

BoB

[Graeme]

"BoB" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:9hf8pvoajdssb8er89g88197g09u41gu8o@4ax.com...
> >Graeme wrote:
> >>
> >> On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 21:37:46 +1000, "Graeme" <graeme23@go.[remove this
and
> >> invalid]com
> >> invalid> wrote:
> >>
> >> >I recently decided to try out the use of a HOSTS file after reading
about
> >> >possible advantages so I downloaded the file at
> >> >http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm.
> >> >This has worked fine and I have been able to see various ads blocked
out in
> >> >Int Exp to confirm that it is working .However I thought I would give
> >> "Opera
> >> >" a try out as an alternate browser , I first tried it out in its
infancy
> >> >when I was still using Netscape but did not persist .
> >> >My question now is that when I use Opera I do not see any evidence of
Ads
> >> >being cut out . Does this mean that downloads of websites with Opera
do not
> >> >access the Hosts file or perhaps they are just covered up better. By
the
> >> >way I do not have the POP UP blocker enabled in Opera.
> >> >Interested to know if anyone can throw any light on this.
> >> >
> >> >Graeme
>
> I prefer Firebird for browsing but I've heard that when Opera
> blocks ads, it becomes a blank area without even a box around
> it, so it's hard to tell an ad is missing.
>
> BoB
>
Yes as I have now discovered that is what is happening .It is quite subtle.
Graeme