Optinions requested: Switching off "Check links"

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Wladimir Palant

Optinions requested: Switching off "Check links"

Post by Wladimir Palant »

Rick seems to have the opinion that "Check banner links" does more harm than good and should be switched off by default. I don't really disagree since I've only seen one site so far where this option was useful - and even then one can do without I guess. Your opinion on this? Do you block things by link, how often?
IceDogg
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Post by IceDogg »

I don't use it. Don't know how valuable it really is, but just wanted to let you know that I never have used it or needed it.
x218o7x
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Post by x218o7x »

dont really get what your saying but i block certain links in pages all the time :lol:
Wladimir Palant

Post by Wladimir Palant »

@x218o7x: Are these things you couldn't have blocked by the address of the image/object?
alta88
Posts: 116
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:16 am

Post by alta88 »

i read here once to turn that option off, so i did. otherwise i don't know anything about it..
NJH
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Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:23 am
Location: Hampshire, England

Post by NJH »

I use check parent links, but I cannot remember why. I know I found it useful in the past and I have never disabled it.
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Stupid Head
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Post by Stupid Head »

I have used Adblock Plus with the option both enabled and disabled, and I couldn't find it helpful or hurtful in any case. I have it disabled right now because of performance gains.
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rick752
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Post by rick752 »

@Wladimir:

Imho, this feature should be disabled (or even pulled) in ABP as it seems to not have any worth anymore.

For the most part, "Check links" has little or no effect one way or the other these days (as you have even found out yourself). I have never gotten a complaint about someone having it 'off' but I have received quite a few false-positives from it being 'on'.

Most blacklisted marketing sites do not only make ads ... they can also be hired to collect data for a legit customer who does not want to (or can't) do it themselves. Where I work uses such a service for some things ... some of our own (hosted) images link THROUGH a 3rd-party 'traffic' service (the address goes there but you arrive at our destination page thru them)

So, the problem arises when a legit company hires a company like "MarketingDudes.com" to collect, process, and organize data through either a contest, promotion, or a download of some kind that the company has hired them to do. The outbound link that is clicked goes 'through' the marketing site ... not necessarily even TO them at all (usually done thru scripts).

So, because I have *marketingdudes.com* blacklisted, even though the image or script is served from the original company site, having the "Check links" option on causes that item to be blocked simply because the outbound link contains a reference to *marketingdudes.com*. Obviously with the "Check links" option off, this wouldn't happen.
CaptnBlack

Post by CaptnBlack »

I use "check banner links" at times, it makes it easier to block some off site stuff, without having to create a regx, or whitelist filters.

It'd be ok if the default setting was set to disabled, but please don't remove it completely.
Wladimir Palant

Post by Wladimir Palant »

The problem is - when I change the default setting "check banner links" will be switched off for everybody who has it on now. So if somebody used "check banner links" on purpose he will have to switch it on again. That might be a little ugly...
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rick752
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Post by rick752 »

CaptnBlack wrote:I use "check banner links" at times, it makes it easier to block some off site stuff, without having to create a regx, or whitelist filters.

It'd be ok if the default setting was set to disabled, but please don't remove it completely.
@Captn:

That is a very interesting statement. I guess I just don't understand it.

Please excuse me if I seem a little bit questionable in my following statement (I really am not trying to be annoying to you) .. but:

How can you use the "check links" mode to block something that you do not already have in your list? Does "regularsite.com" serve 1st-party images that link to Doubleclick's site? The answer is, "Yes it does" ... but this is exactly where all of the false-positives show up.

Most websites' blacklisted strings are 'fed' from 3rd-party ad companies (exceptions above) ... not the other way around! I don't see 1st-party images with links pointing to visit Doubleclick (again, exceptions above) .... what I always see is Doubleclick being hosted by a site and serving ad images pointing to other regular sites.

Am I missing something? (seriously)
ecjs
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Post by ecjs »

I have been using this option for a year. No problem at all. I have got two subscriptions, both are rick's.

I will switch it off for a few days, in order to see if there is any difference.
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rick752
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Post by rick752 »

ecjs wrote:I have been using this option for a year. No problem at all. I have got two subscriptions, both are rick's.

I will switch it off for a few days, in order to see if there is any difference.
For most of the sites out there, ecjs, nothing should be any different at all ... but you WILL notice something if "check links" is 'on' and you hit one of those sites that something good is blocked because of it. :wink:
PeterPablo
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Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 1:24 pm

Post by PeterPablo »

One more option:
Set it to 'off' for new adblockinstallations - but leave it the way it is, if there's already a version installed.
Wladimir Palant

Post by Wladimir Palant »

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.
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