Hosts File

Mirhanda · #1 29th July 2009, 03:31 PM

I have a really good hosts file so that I don't see ads. What I'd like to know though, does that stop the websites whose ads I'm blocking in this way still get revenue for those ads? Or do they still count as impressions even though I never see them?

Victor Frankenstein · #2 29th July 2009, 03:32 PM

They do not count as impressions because your browser never requests the file.

Mirhanda · #3 29th July 2009, 03:39 PM

Excellent! Thank you, 7! Sometimes you want to look at a website, but you really, really don't want them to make money from you, even in an indirect way, you know?

sailor · #4 29th July 2009, 03:58 PM

I have a huge (450 KB?) Hosts file. Does that slow down the computer? Or use up resources?

Victor Frankenstein · #5 29th July 2009, 04:16 PM

I don't know how the OS processes the host file. I don't know if it is all cached or read for each request. I assume cached somehow. But 450kb is manageable.

You might see a slowdown when you hit 450MB though

How many lines is 450kb of entries?

Victor Frankenstein · #6 29th July 2009, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirhanda

Excellent! Thank you, 7! Sometimes you want to look at a website, but you really, really don't want them to make money from you, even in an indirect way, you know?

Well, you know...

There are a bunch of websites which use GoogleAds. There are very strict rules on where GoogleAds are to be displayed.

Quote:

The AdSense network is considered family-safe, which means that publishers aren't permitted to place Google ads on sites which contain adult content. In addition to photos and videos which contain nudity or sexual activities, here are some other examples of unacceptable content:

* Lewd or provocative images
* Crude or indecent language, including adult stories
* Sexual tips or advice
* Sexual fetish sites (e.g. foot fetish content)
* Adult toys or products
* Ads or links to external sites containing adult content

If your site has content which you wouldn't be comfortable viewing at work or with family members around, then it probably isn't an appropriate site to place Google ads upon.

https://www.google.com/adsense/suppo...&answer=105957

The AdSense program policies prohibit Google ads on sites which sell or promote drugs or drug paraphernalia. This includes drug accessories, illegal or prescription drugs, and herbal drugs such as salvia and magic mushrooms. Ads are also not permitted on pages which sell or promote the sales of beer, hard alcohol, or liqueurs. Additionally, publishers are not permitted to place ads on sites which sell or promote tobacco and tobacco-related products, including cigarettes, cigars, tobacco pipes, and rolling paper.

Please be aware that the promotion of prohibited content includes providing links to sites that do not follow our drug, alcohol, and tobacco-related content policies.

However, publishers are permitted to place ads on informational content relating to brewing or distilling beer, as well as content related to the topic of quitting smoking.

https://www.google.com/adsense/suppo...&answer=105948

Publishers are responsible for ensuring that the content of all pages upon which their ads appear complies with our program policies, even if the content is generated by users. While we understand that it may be challenging to monitor content which is frequently updated, to participate in AdSense and ensure that your account is in good standing, you must monitor the pages where your ad code appears.

Here are some tips that may help you monitor your network for policy violations:

* Educate your users about AdSense policies
* Perform a human evaluation of each page or site before placing ad code there
* Proactively review your top pages at least once a week
* Add keywords filters, e.g. adult content, pay-to services, hacking content, gambling content, etc. Although we're unable to provide information on "keyword filtering" or "content filtering", you may wish to search for this information on Google.
* Add a 'Report a violation' link to all pages with user-generated content

https://www.google.com/adsense/suppo...&answer=115995

If you REALLY REALLY don't want the site to make money, and they are breaking Google rules, report them.

Google will shut down their account.

Many other banner ad companies are the same. You just need to find out who they are using and what the policy is.

LordVor · #7 29th July 2009, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7

I don't know how the OS processes the host file. I don't know if it is all cached or read for each request. I assume cached somehow. But 450kb is manageable.

You might see a slowdown when you hit 450MB though

How many lines is 450kb of entries?

So it should only get referenced when somebody wants to open a socket to somewhere else. But you don't have to restart anything when you edit the hosts file for your changes to take effect, so when you do that lookup it must parse the file every time.

That said, that file would have to get "pretty darn big" for parsing it to take longer (real-time-wise) than a dns request...but if the host ISN'T in your hosts file, it has to walk the whole file before it sends out the dns request, so that may be a noticeable delay, especially if you've got something running that tends to spam a lot of dns lookups. Also, the CPU isn't busy while waiting for a dns response, but is busy while parsing the hosts file.

sailor · #8 29th July 2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7

How many lines is 450kb of entries?

It counts 10600 instances of 127.0.0.1

Come to think about it I have not updated it in ages. I forget where I downloaded it from.

Mirhanda · #9 29th July 2009, 05:37 PM

My reasons for not wanting them to make money from my views are more spiteful than anything. I'm just happy to know I can keep browsing and they can keep on not getting any ad views from me.

tunaman · #10 29th July 2009, 06:26 PM

Why would you use a hosts file as an ad blocker? AdBlock Plus not only works better, but is updated every week or so.

Chacoguy · #11 29th July 2009, 07:38 PM

Thank-YOU for your recreational complaints 7.

Useless fucker.

LordVor · #12 29th July 2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunaman

Why would you use a hosts file as an ad blocker? AdBlock Plus not only works better, but is updated every week or so.

I'm pretty sure that AdBlock lets the ads download, but just doesn't let them draw. So, for the spiteful, it still looks like an ad view, and for the people still on dial-up, it doesn't save them any bandwidth.

tunaman · #13 2nd August 2009, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordVor

I'm pretty sure that AdBlock lets the ads download, but just doesn't let them draw. So, for the spiteful, it still looks like an ad view, and for the people still on dial-up, it doesn't save them any bandwidth.

No, AdBlock doesn't download the ads. It does have the option of showing placeholders where the ad would be, but this is disabled by default.

LordVor · #14 2nd August 2009, 06:47 AM

OK, I know that that's how AdBlock worked at first, and also that they were working on a "don't let ads download" approach, but I must have never noticed when they put that in.

Canadjun · #15 2nd August 2009, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunaman

No, AdBlock doesn't download the ads. It does have the option of showing placeholders where the ad would be, but this is disabled by default.

Is that the case for all of its filters? The reason I ask is that with Adblock on, I get a suspicious flicker when threads on a certain other board display, as though the site is starting to display something and then getting it cancelled.

Victor Frankenstein · #16 2nd August 2009, 12:16 PM

You would have to run something like wireshark to know for sure which elements are coming in.

Bayard · #17 3rd August 2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirhanda

I have a really good hosts file so that I don't see ads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailor

I have a huge (450 KB?) Hosts file. Does that slow down the computer? Or use up resources?

That's an appraoch I'd never thought of before. Are either of you willing to share your hosts files? I don't mind ads so much, but I'm interested in what you're blocking.

Oxmyx · #18 3rd August 2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadjun

Is that the case for all of its filters? The reason I ask is that with Adblock on, I get a suspicious flicker when threads on a certain other board display, as though the site is starting to display something and then getting it cancelled.

Doesn't happen with mine, Firefox 3.5.1 with Adblock Plus and Adblock Plus Element Hiding Helper 1.0.6, on any site.

sailor · #19 4th August 2009, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayard

That's an appraoch I'd never thought of before. Are either of you willing to share your hosts files? I don't mind ads so much, but I'm interested in what you're blocking.

I downloaded my hosts file years ago from somewhere. It is suposed to list known malicious hosts as well as advertising. I have added a few hosts to the file myself and I may have removed one or two hosts which I wanted to access.

You can find an updated version at http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm . I see it has grown to about 600 KB.

Bayard · #20 4th August 2009, 04:31 AM

Many thanks, sailor.

sailor · #21 4th August 2009, 04:47 AM

And thanks to your question I have updated the Hosts file which was years old.

I vaguely remember adding a few hosts myself so I may have lost a few with the update. Maybe the server for ads to the SDMB was there added by me. Also, I vaguely remember removing one or two hosts because I wanted to download something from there.

I think blocking known malicious sites using the hosts file is a good strategy and I install this file on all computers I maintain for friends and family.

sailor · #22 4th August 2009, 09:01 AM

I have never seen an ad on the SDMB. I notice the ads at the SDMB are served by l1.zedo.com which is blocked by this hosts file.