Pop-up blockers?

Just wondering what, if any, pop-up ad blockers you use to help out when surfing the net? Something free would be nice.

Hi Steve,
I am using a free product called “Pop-Up Stopper.” I made a “test send” to myself of what I have of the program on my computer, and when it got back to me it was blocked as an unsafe atachment. I have had this for about 6 months and it really works well. If it blocks and I still want to get that blocked screen onto my desktop, I just hold down the Ctrl key and click on it again and it will pop up.
It went out on e-mail as “Popupstopperfree.” Try that or “Pop-Up Stopper” on your search engine.
Good Luck, Swede

Google has got a slick one built into their new toolbar. I’ve since uninstalled pop-up stopper — which I used to use.

The cool thing about the Google toolbar is that without loading the google home page you can search with google from any page on the internet using the toolbar.

Here are some links and screenshots:

Google Toolbar (Free)

Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition 3.1.101

Hope that helps!!

JJ

Go with Google. I’ve had it for almost a year now and am very happy with it. Up to 704 blocked pop ups now. Here is a salute to pop ups.

I’m sure google works good on home PC’s, but I would advise against it if you’re at/on a work PC.

my .02 IT experience.

Slop,
Why is that? I’m networked, but only for the net. Otherwise, I’m basically a stand alone PC.
Thanks,

We have specific Standards and configurations here at American Standard (Trane Co.) . We’ve found that many pop-up blockers/Google toobars, My web search bar etc…etc. ..Will alter or take over Internet Explorer and it’s configurations/settings. It can also load email plug ins, thus causing conflicts with our systems. With a large majority of our systems being web-based, it turns out bad, and then we have to beat our users ..lol..jk

Ok Slop —

I don’t want to leave the impression that Google or any other pop-up stopper is “bad.” For this reason, here is the long version… I’ve done product selection for a few clients based on their unique environments so might was well share what I’ve begged, borrowed, and learned with you guys. And like Slop alludes to, if at work, always check with your IT staff.

So does anybody rank them?
Of course!! Pop-up Check has an unbiased test of free pop-up blockers. It analyses the capabilities of each pop-up blocker, and offers the results in a total rating. The top 3 ranking Pop-Up Blockers last time I checked were:

1 PopOops (385)
1 Google Toolbar (385)
2 Window Shades (375)
3 Pop This (350)
3 Hitware Popup Killer (350)
3 AskJeeves (350)

You can see the current rankings here:

Free Pop Up Blocker Rankings

Pop-up Check evaluates these types of Pop-ups:

“Normal” Pop-ups
Full-screen Pop-ups
Channel-opener Pop-ups
Modeless Dialog Pop-ups
New Browser Window Pop-ups
OnLoad Pop-ups
Unload (Exit) Pop-Ups

The Pop-up Check also tests blockers abilities to interpret a variety of user initiated events that can add to annoyance if new popups are allowed, or if desired pop-ups are interpreted incorrectly, and you can’t view your bank balance, or other important information that is placed in a pop-up by legitimate websites.

To take a look at the all evaluations and learn about all the different types of pop-ups your blocker must defeat in order to offer a pop-up-free browsing experience make sure to check out the area below the “Testing Grid.”

Free Pop Up Blocker Test Details

Additional Miscellaneous, Capacity, and Advanced Pop-Up checks are also available.

Inline or Floating Pop-Ups
One of the most annoying Pop-Up’s is an Inline Pop-Up. They appear between your page and you without their own window. They’re also known as “Floating Pop-Ups” “[The] floating popup is what unethical popup testing sites use to make you believe your popup stopper software is not working. Some popup testing sites are actually owned by popup stopper developers who use these non-blockable popups to fail your popup stopper. The idea is to recommend a popup stopper that ‘works’ without letting you know it’s really their product! If you suspect this trickery, run your popup blocker through this test to verify their popup blocking software is really all it claims to be.”

Free Pop Up Blocker Test Miscellaneous

Proximation
Actually, this particular “pop-up” is better blocked by Proxomitron, which has a number of additional benefits as well. Proxomitron offers a high degree of surfing serenity to even the most web-o-phobic surfer.

The Webhiker’s Guide to Proximation

Browsers with Built-In Pop-Up Blockers
Some browsers are designed with built-in Pop-Up Blockers. Just like the standalone software, there are degrees of protecton. In [Pop Up Blocker Test] order:

Mozilla 1.7

Crazy Browser 1.5

Mozilla Firefox 0.9

K-Meleon 0.8.2

Opera 7.23

All deliver a satisfactory pop-up blocking experience.

Spyware
Some Pop-Ups can be generated by spyware. Insidious little parasites that install themselves without your knowledge or permission, circumventing your anti-virus or firewall. Just in case any of these nasties are contributing to your pop-up woes, download and run the latest versions of these two spyware zappers (free). If you already have these programs installed, be sure to “Search for Updates” before running them.

AdAware

Spybot Search and Destroy (My personal favorite)

After you’ve disinfected, You should always do a disk defrag. (Select: Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter). This final “good riddance” step adds an additional level of protection against any fragmented lurkers. It’s just like washing off your trailer after loading.

To Slop’s point, one last thing for (mostly) businesses. Some firewalls and other programs also include a Pop-Up blocking feature. If you select a free solution, turn off all other blocking methods while at use behind the firewall. Some of the solutions listed above simply do not play well with others, and can produce miscellaneous, seemingly unrelated, problems. In sum these issues are not only the case with Google Toolbar but other’s as well.

-the end-

JJ

Jack,

VERY Nice Post ….

I can tell you’ve worked on documentation as well.