Slowness with Adblock enabled

[neilio]

I've noticed that if Adblock is enabled there is a delay of .5 to 2 seconds before Firefox starts loading domains that I've never been to before. If I disable Adblock, though, all sites (newly visited or otherwise) start loading almost immediately.

I recognize that using Adblock would probably add some overhead, but is there anyway to improve this? Is this in part due to using regular expressions as part of my filter list or a specific preference?

[g]

1. How old is your computer?
2. How large is your filter file?

[mcm]

If you disable Adblock from within its preference panel as opposed to via extension manager, then any speed differences are due to your filters.

Note some sites seem to take a while to load that isn't to do with your filters, which could benefit from improving the code, like this site:
http://www.howardforums.com/

[neilio]

1. How old is your computer?
2. How large is your filter file?

It's new - an iMac G5 2ghz. The filter file is the latest "build" from Filterset.G.

[neilio]

Note some sites seem to take a while to load that isn't to do with your filters, which could benefit from improving the code, like this site:
http://www.howardforums.com/

I've been running with site filtering turned off for the last few hours and it makes a huge diifference. I guess having site filtering turned on was what was causing the problem.

[mcm]

Also disabling DIV checking will make things faster.

[neilio]

Also disabling DIV checking will make things faster.

How do you do this? Is it a user_pref or is there something I'm missing in the UI?

[mcm]

Very fast reply there

Before it was a hidden preference available under about:config but I've since put it as an option under Adblock.
Adblock Plus 0.5.9.1

DIVs blocking is very useful in getting rid of ads that were previously impossible. But it needs to run after the page has loaded by looping through all the nodes which can take a while. Unfortunately javascript is single threaded so length functions can lock up the browser. I'm looking at implementing it in a XPCOM module for the next release if possible which will allow the browser to continue working.

[Paulfox]

I had DIV checking "on," and have just turned it "off." What ads would it otherwise block? I haven't seen a difference with my filterlist - nor have I noticed much added speed if thre is any.

Could you please let me know if it's better in that case to leave "on?" - Thanks mcm - and thanks for making it an option within "prefs" in AB 0.5.9.1, which is just SUPER.

Addendum: with 10MB cache and DIV "off," there IS INDEED some "perceived" added speed to say the least. Interesting.

[mcm]

Well some ads come in the form of DIV elements and can only be blocked with that option enabled. But it does add some overhead to the time it takes to load a page. If you don't notice much of a speed difference then I suggest leaving it on.

[BillK]

Well some ads come in the form of DIV elements and can only be blocked with that option enabled. But it does add some overhead to the time it takes to load a page. If you don't notice much of a speed difference then I suggest leaving it on.

Gmail sponsored ads down the right hand side need DIV enabled to blank them out, for example.

[Paulfox]

Thanks mcm for the explanation, and thanks to BillK for putting it in terms I could understand. I'm "going easy" on Google and don't block any of their ads (I just like Google - shoot me!) - but Yahoo and especially the new "breed" of Yahoo ads are particularly annoying despite several "special whammos" I created to deal with it.

The only thing I've found works is "RIP;" I imagine there are filters I should be using INSTEAD employing the "DIV option," and will check into those here on this forum.

Cheers and thanks to both of you!/p