AOL To Offer Software To Prevent `Pop-Up' Ads

WSJ ^ | Wednesday March 12, 9:41 AM ???

[Maedhros]

Wednesday March 12, 9:41 AM ???

AOL To Offer Software To Prevent `Pop-Up' Ads

(From The Wall Street Journal)

AMERICA ONLINE takes the spring out of Pop-Ups.

The AOL Time Warner unit is offering software today to its 26 million U.S. subscribers that prevents pop-up advertising from appearing on a computer screen. It will roll out the "Pop-up Controls" to its international subscribers during the next few months.

America Online isn't the first to offer a way to stop annoying Internet ads. In August, EarthLink began offering its roughly five million Internet access subscribers the chance to block pop-up ads. In December, AOL's Netscape unit began offering the feature as part of its Web-browsing software. In January, Apple Computer began offering a Web browser called Safari that blocks pop-up ads.

The growing movement against pop-up ads could be bad news for Web advertisers, who generally find them to be an effective eye-catching tool. Nielsen/NetRatings says pop-ups comprised 3.5% of all Web advertising during the fourth quarter of 2002, up from 1.9% of all Web ads during the same period a year earlier.

[Maedhros]

Or you could forget about AOHell and download Mozilla for free.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The easiest way to prevent pop-ups is turn off javascript. Sites download faster too without it.

[Maedhros]

Yeah, turning of javascript will do the trick, but it has too many legitimate uses for me to completely disable it.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Yeah, turning of javascript will do the trick, but it has too many legitimate uses for me to completely disable it.

This is true, which is why I put those sites absolutely in need of javascript that I frequent in a different zone with it turned on. It's a hassle at first, but surfing the net is a lot more pleasurable now since most sites I visit javascript is off.

[UB355]

Netscape 7 is a commercialized version of mozilla with a built in pop up blocker built in.

[Cicero]

I have been extremely pleased with Ad Muncher, which eliminates most banner ads as well as popups, and does so before downloading them, which saves a lot of bandwidth. And it works within AOL and CS2000 as well as on the net. It's not Freeware, but I think it's worth the price.

[Maedhros]

Mozilla and Netscape are basically the same thing, but I prefer the open source variety free from the taint of AOL.

[Maedhros]

I got tired of dealing with IE's various security zones and manually allowing/disallowing various sites. With Mozilla you can allow/block cookies from a server as they are sent, block images (read: banner ads) from a server, and best of all, disable the opening of ALL unrequested windows while leaving the rest of javascript intact.

[Sawdring]

From AOL:

Tired of Pop-Ups? AOL Helps Stop Them

Your copy of AOL will be automatically updated with Pop-Up Controls in the next few days. If you don't want to wait for the automatic update, click the "Get Pop-Up Controls Now!" button.

AOL members now have a new way to take control of the Internet pop-ups that are driving you -- and us -- crazy. We're pleased to tell you that we've created AOL Pop-Up Controls -- another part of our renewed commitment to respond to members' concerns. You told us to "stop the pop," and we listened.

With AOL Pop-Up Controls, you can block annoying pop-ups and pop-unders automatically as you move from Web site to Web site -- no more extra windows distracting you and filling up your screen. The Pop-Up Controls icon will appear at the bottom of every Web page, so you can turn them on or off with a single click, set them to specifically allow pop-ups from individual sites, and review the pop-ups that have been blocked. You'll even see a running tally of how many pop-ups have been blocked during each online session, and hear a special noise each time one is blocked.

[jrushing]

Does anyone use TimeWarnerAOL? Shame, shame if you do!

[Reaganwuzthebest]

All I've got on my system besides IE is Netscape 4.79. Maybe I'll download the new version and see what it's about.

[buzzyboop]

I use Pop-Up Stopper from panicware.com. Works great...less filling.

[RoughDobermann]

I use Pop-Up Stopper from panicware.com. Works great...less filling.

Just be ready to replace that CTRL key though! Almost becomes second-nature, don't it?

[buzzyboop]

Yup, still forget to use it, and wonder why a site won't come in. worth it though.

[RayChuang88]

Netscape 7 is a commercialized version of mozilla with a built in pop up blocker built in.

However, be aware that only Netscape 7.01 and 7.02 offer the ability to control pop-up windows. The original Netscape 7.0 release lacked this capability. Anyway, if you're an EarthLink subscriber you can get a free pop-up ad blocker that works with Internet Explorer for Windows 5.01 Service Pack 2 to 6.01 Service Pack 1.

[Cyber Liberty]

Knowing AOL, there's a hook. I wonder how much they're charging for this "feature"?

[GATOR NAVY]

That's what I do too. Keep javascript off unless I really need it.

[Spandau]

Use Opera browser. No more pop-ups.