The Adblock Project

[budgie]

can i use ADBLOCK to block LINKS, as well as images?

this is the link i'm concerned with (i've changed the domain name, etc):

<td align=right width=230>
<a href="http://www.baddomain.com/click-20178" target="_blank"><img src="mainicons/yahoo_logo.gif" border=0><br><font size=-1>Search Services<br>Get $50 Free Advertising<br>No Strings Attached - Click here</font></a>
</td>

NOTE: if ADBLOCK Won't block links, can anyone recommend a product that DOES?

[Org]

Adblock preferences -> "Adblock Options" menu -> enable option "Check Parent Links"

[budgie]

"Check Parent Links" was ALREADY enabled - must've been a default.

anyway, that setting won't make the LINK itself go away.

(when i click on BLOCKABLE elements, i get a list of images -- no links on there.)

[Mr.Light]

can someone explain to me how blocking links work specifically.

[budgie]

well, from what i've seen with various blockers -- and since no one's reponded to my post -- it seems that NOTHING blocks regular HTML links from being VISIBLE on a page.

you can block DATA from those links. if you have a REAL-TIME blocker like TEA TIMER, SPYWARE BLASTER, symantec adblocker etc - for ex, you can set them (or download definitions) to "BLOCK" BAD.COM, if you encounted a link to that domain in regular HTML, it would be DEAD (nothing would happen when you click it).

* i HAVE seen links "DISAPPEAR" from a page, when they're coded certain ways in javascript etc. the ad-blocking software is responding to the FORM of the code, and not rendering that entire section of javascript. (if you click VIEW SOURCE CODE, that ENTIRE section would be missing)

* FIREFOX AD-BLOCKER allows you to add portions of a URL address, that you want to "EDIT" out of a page. (apparently, this only woks with IMAGES, and NOT link anchor text -- at least, i can't get MINE to work that way.)

FOR EXAMPLE...
if you visit the yahoo homepage, and don't like the ads, you RIGHT-CLICK and locate the ad's URL.

yahoo.com you WANT to be able to get.

but, the ad you DON'T want is:
yahoo.com/advertising/ads/perfume12a

the problem with blocking that EXACT url, is that TOMORROW's ad may be:
yahoo.com/advertising/ads/handcream4340i

SO...
you use a WILDCARD, and tell FF adblocker to block these:
yahoo.com/advertising/ads/*
yahoo.com/advertising/*/*

-- according to what i've read, this would work best:
yahoo.com/advertising/*

since everything that follows the * will be blocked.

* at any rate, that's the general idea.