Optinions requested: Switching off "Check links"

chewey · Post by **chewey** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:35 am

I don't really keep track of ABP's behavioural differences using different sets of filter options activated - all I can say is:

I do use "check banner links" with minimal to no false positives.
I just went through the last ~30 mails I got concerning my filter list - none
of them about problems with this option, and I myself don't remember having
troubles because of it for a long time.
YMMV, of course.

I certainly don't know how effective this setting is, as options don't have
a hitcounter (I'm not requesting this as a feature, god forbid, just
stating a fact

). I'll switch it off now and will watch for differences.

Rick: Do you happen to have some false-positive-evocing sites on hand?

PeterPablo · Post by **PeterPablo** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:50 am

Wladimir Palant wrote:Unfortunately that's not possible. Gecko doesn't store the value of a preference if it is the same as the default value. So if the default value changes this option is suddently switched off for everybody.

Ok - this is bad luck then! I think then we should wait for some feedback of the "testers", hearing what they say on the impact. As first step I at least would rather disable then completly remove the option.

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 1:41 pm

chewey wrote: Rick: Do you happen to have some false-positive-evocing sites on hand?

Oh man .... I know that some were emails and others were on different forums. One more recent post that I could find in my forum is here:
http://www.richsterling.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=507

CaptnBlack · Post by **CaptnBlack** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 3:22 pm

rick752 wrote:
Am I missing something? (seriously)

Yes you are... the freedom for the users to make the choice for themselves.
I see no reason to completely remove the option.

Granted it isn't very often useful, but it can be useful for blocking some extraneous crap on smaller sites I visit.

I don't use subscriptions(I don't believe in the one size fits all syndrome), and I don't know how it effects users who do, but I think it should be left to the users to minimze false positives on sites they visit.

Stupid Head · Post by **Stupid Head** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:57 pm

CaptnBlack wrote: Granted it isn't very often useful, but it can be useful for blocking some extraneous crap on smaller sites I visit.

Can you give some examples please?

helping ghost · Post by **helping ghost** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 11:04 am

There are not many examples, but mostly small and nasty...

http://www.pcspielemagazin.de/index.html

The ebay-banner in the right menu pane can easily be blocked by using a filter like "/ads." or "adclick" or similar. These filters also work on many other sites, because they are general.

But when link checking is disabled, you have to use a sitespecific filter like "*/partnerlogos/ebay_*.gif".

helping ghost · Post by **helping ghost** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 11:07 am

helping ghost wrote:... right menu pane ...

correction: LEFT

PeterPablo · Post by **PeterPablo** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:21 am

I stumbled over the site www.weltfussball.de
There is one banner remaining without having the "check banner links" checked. It could be blocked via "*/partner/*" - but I guess this might introduce many false positives!

Wladimir Palant · Post by **Wladimir Palant** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:56 pm

I would block |http://www.weltfussball.de/bilder/partner/* in this case.

PeterPablo · Post by **PeterPablo** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 6:19 pm

This is of course a possibility. I rather thought of the scenario, where "we" are using only 'general' filters. In this situation the 'check link' option would be handy.

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 6:58 pm

peter.ploss wrote:I stumbled over the site www.weltfussball.de
There is one banner remaining without having the "check banner links" checked. It could be blocked via "*/partner/*" - but I guess this might introduce many false positives!

Does this ad disappear when you have "check banner links" on? It could only do that if you had 'http://www.winterportal.de/' in your filter list as being a blocked site, as that is all that link says. It that an undesirable site? (I don't know ... don't speak german)

PeterPablo · Post by **PeterPablo** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:59 pm

winterportal.de doesn't appear do be an "unwanted" page.

Unfortunatelly they seem to have changed the advertisments on weltfussball.de - I can't state my point anymore. Orginally the Advertisment was removed for me, only when I had the "check banner links" enabled - now everything is fine both ways.

sorry!

rick752 · Post by **rick752** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:19 am

Don't apologize .. it happens a lot. Many ads are in a revolving state ... here today, gone tomorrow. Many also are served from different ad companies also.

Usually if an ad gets though ONLY when you have the "check banner links" option on, it only usually means that you have missed something in your filters anyway.

The next time you see an ad like that, take a good look at the 'served' address and see if you haven't just missed something for that ad that should have been blocked already.

PeterPablo · Post by **PeterPablo** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:19 am

'roger that'

Wladimir Palant · Post by **Wladimir Palant** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:58 pm

Oops, I forgot to do this in the release candidate. "Check banner links" will be off by default in the release however.