OneAndOneIs2

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So just to make my point, here's TWO thousand words.

This is Dilbert.com, viewed via IE with no blocking software of any type in use. Note the banner ads, the pop-up window, and the pop-under window that I've brought to the top so it'll be visible in the screenshot.

Note the amount of screen dedicated to intrusive adverts, as compared to the amount given over to what I actually want to see, i.e. the cartoon.

Note also the right-hand side advert is masquerading as a Windows dialogue - very unsuccessfully, but it's trying. These adverts, more than any other, are contemptible deceptions on a par with - if not actively worse than - phishing emails. They are utter scams.

Now here's Dilbert.com, after it's been hit with Firefox's popup blocker, adblocking measures, and the Greasemonkey extension.

I'll say it flat-out: If my only choice was to view Dilbert.com as it appears in the first screenshot, I would simply delete it from my bookmarks and never visit it again.

And if I didn't read Dilbert online every day, I wouldn't care at all when the Dilbert books came out. So I'd stop buying them. Since I currently have a copy of every book available in the shops (and two copies of some), I'm about as good a customer as Dilbert's got. Thus, adblocking Dilbert.com is in fact to Scott Adam's advantage: Without an adblock, I would neither visit the website nor buy the books. Result: He gains no revenue from me at all.

With the adblock, he gets nothing from me visiting his website, but can take comfort from the fact that because I read Dilbert every day, I have a complete collection of Dilbert strips on my bookshelf, and a plush Dogbert sitting on my home PC's monitor.

Secondly, something that not everybody knows: If you use Firefox, you can actually block the majority of ads without using any adblocking extensions.

Simply add a script, such as the following, to your userContent.css file, and it will block ads all by itself!

/* Block Ads v.2004-06-12 by Neil Jenkins
Portions of this ruleset are derived from the ad blocking css by Joe Francis at:
http://www.floppymoose.com/
Some code also contributed by Mike Hokenson:
http://www.gozer.org/mozilla/ad_blocking
*/
iframe[width="120"][height="600"], a img[width="120"][height="600"],
iframe[width="125"][height="600"], a img[width="125"][height="600"],
iframe[width="150"][height="100"], a img[width="150"][height="100"],
iframe[width="150"][height="600"], a img[width="150"][height="600"],
iframe[width="160"][height="600"], a img[width="160"][height="600"],
iframe[width="300"][height="250"], a img[width="300"][height="250"],
iframe[width="336"][height="280"], a img[width="336"][height="280"],
iframe[width="468"][height="60"], a img[width="468"][height="60"],
iframe[width="470"][height="62"], a img[width="470"][height="62"],
iframe[width="728"][height="90"], a img[width="728"][height="90"],
iframe[width="730"][height="92"], a img[width="730"][height="92"],
iframe[width="600"][height="120"], object[width="125"][height="300"],
iframe[width="180"][height="150"],
iframe[src*="/ad-"],
iframe[src*="/ad."],
iframe[src*="/ad/"],
iframe[src*="/ad_"],
iframe[src*="/adframe"],
iframe[src*="/ads"],
iframe[src*="/adv"],
iframe[src*="/adx"],
iframe[src*=".ad"],
iframe[src*="_Banner"],
iframe[src*="BET365"],
iframe[src*="/click"],
iframe[src*="?click"],
iframe[src*="googlesyndication"],
iframe[src*="promos"],
iframe[name="bsadframe"],
iframe[id="adFrame"],
iframe[id="splashFrame"],
img[src*="/ad-"],
img[src*="/ad."],
img[src*="/ad/"],
img[src*="/ad_"],
img[src*="/ads"],
img[src*="/adv"],
img[src*="/adx"],
img[src*=".ad"],
img[src*="_ad_"],
img[src*="/click"],
img[src*="?click"],
img[src*="Editorial_Promos"],
img[src*="/toms_skyscraper_"],
img[src$="images/logos/amazon_international.gif"],
img[src*="freshmeat.net/button.gif"],
img[src*="pic.geocities.com/images/"],
img[src*="i.imdb.com/Vpics/"],
img[src*="i.imdb.com/Photos/CMSIcons"],
img[src*="i.imdb.com/Icons/apix/"],
img[src*="i.imdb.com/Icons/kpix/"],
img[src*="i.imdb.com/apix/"],
img[src*="sportsbybrooks.com/farkbutton.gif"],
img[alt*="advert"],
img[alt*="Click Here To Visit Our Sponsor"],
img[alt*="Sponsored Links"],
img[name="fixedSpImg"],
a:link[href*="/ad-"] img,
a:link[href*="/ad."] img,
a:link[href*="/ad/"] img,
a:link[href*="/ad_"] img,
a:link[href*="/ads"] img,
a:link[href*="/adv"] img,
a:link[href*="/adx"] img,
a:link[href*=".ad"] img,
a:link[href*="/banner"] img,
a:link[href*="/click.cgi"] img,
a:link[href*="/clickcgi?"] img,
a:link[href*="/clickover"] img,
a:link[href*="/clickthr"] img,
a:link[href*="/click-"] img,
a:link[href*="=click"] img,
a:link[href*="?click"] img,
a:link[href*="/A="] img,
table table table[width="346"][height="280"],
table[class="metatable"],
table[id="RefAd"],
table[cellspacing="0"][width="160"][height="329"][bgcolor="#000000"],
table[cellpadding="5"][width="150"][style="border: 1px dashed rgb(221, 170, 170); background-color: rgb(236, 248, 255);"],
table[border="0"][height="600"][width="120"],
table[height="90"][cellspacing="0"][cellpadding="0"][width="728"][border="0"],
table[border="0"][cellpadding="3"][cellspacing="0"][height="40"][width="100%"],
table[border="0"][cellpadding="0"][cellspacing="4"][align="right"][width="20%"],
table[border="2"] td[valign="top"][bgcolor="#ffffff"] table[width="138"],
table[border="0"][cellpadding="1"][cellspacing="0"][width="626"][bgcolor="#6699cc"],
table[bordercolor="red"][height="225"][cellspacing="0"][cellpadding="0"][width="190"][bgcolor="white"][border="0"],
table[width="336"][border="0"][cellspacing="0"][cellpadding="0"][align="right"][style="margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"],
table[width="770"][border="0"] tr[valign="top"]
td[width="160"],
td[class="cnnNavAd"],
td[class="RHBarBody"],
td[class="sl-table"],
td[style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 7px 3px; background-color: rgb(255, 254, 249);"],
td span[class="aoltextad"],
form[name="frmLargeForm"],
form[action*="click_lx.cgi"],
form[action^="http://rd.yahoo.com/"],
form[action=""][name$="SoapCity"],
form[action=""][name^="728x90"],
form[action=""][name^="300x250"],
form[method="get"][action*="martindale"][name="MDH"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][src*="_Banner"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][src*="/ad"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="/ad"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][src*=".ad"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*=".ad"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][src*="?click"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="?click"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][src*="/click"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="/click"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="promos"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="=click"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="redirect"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][href*="/A="],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][name*="advert"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][name*="banner"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][width="728"][height="90"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][width="468"][height="60"],
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][width="467"][height="63"],
div[id="adstrip"],
div[id*="advert"],
div[id="dropin"],
div[id="dwindow"],
div[id="dcv_EchangeLay"],
div[id="mntl"],
div[id*="popup"],
div[id="quack"],
div[id="splashLayer"],
div[id*="sponsor"],
div[id="yschsec"],
div[class="ovt"],
div#contextualLinks,
div[style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"],
object[id="widgeth"],
*[class="ad"],
*[class*="eSext"],
*[name*="klipad"],
*[style*="/ads/"],
*[id*="popover_"],
*[src*="120x80"],
*[src*="140x"],
*[src*="?ad"],
*[src*="-ad-"],
*[src*="/adimage"],
*[src*="/adimg"],
*[src*="advert"],
*[src*="=click"],
*[src*="banners."],
*[src*="banner_ads"],
*[src*="/images/dinkus/more-arrow-lo.gif"],
*[src*="/javaImages/ec/"],
*[src*="/offer"],
*[src*="/puffboxes/"],
*[src*="/sponsors/"],
*[src*="_sponsor_"],
*[src*="/us.yimg.com/a/ya"],
*[src*=".adbutler.de"],
*[src*=".nedstatbasic.net"],
*[src*=".tradedoubler.com"],
*[src*=".travelocity./Sponsor_gifs/"],
*[src*="a.consumer.net"],
*[src*="bannermania.nom.pl"],
*[src*="cash4banner.com"],
*[src*="crazypopups.com"],
*[src*="hit-now.com"],
*[src*="hitbox.com"],
*[src*="img.thebugs.ws"],
*[src*="kinghost.com/ban/"],
*[src*="klipmart"],
*[src*="popupad.net/ats/"],
*[src*="public"][src*="ad"],
*[src*="/publicidad/"],
*[src*="qkimg.net"],
*[src*="qksrv.net"],
*[src*="rcm-images.amazon.com"],
*[src*="rcm.amazon.com"],
*[src*="salon.com/Creatives"],
*[src*="sexcounter."],
*[src*="sideads/"],
*[src*="statse.webtrendslive.com"],
*[href*="logging.to"],
*[href*="/referral/"],
*[href*="tryaol"],
*[href*="websponsors"],
*[src*="banman.asp"],
*[href*="banman.asp"],
*[src*="bannerman"],
*[href*="bannerman"],
*[src*="?banner"],
*[href*="?banner"],
*[src*="/banner/"],
*[href*="/banner/"],
*[src*="/jump/"],
*[href*="/jump/"],
*[src*="adfarm"],
*[href*="adfarm"],
*[src*="advertising.com"],
*[href*="advertising.com"],
*[src*="ar.atwola.com"],
*[href*="ar.atwola.com"],
*[src*="atdmt.com"],
*[href*="atdmt.com"],
*[src*="bluestreak.com"],
*[href*="bluestreak.com"],
*[src*="clickxchange.com"],
*[href*="clickxchange.com"],
*[src*="doubleclick"],
*[href*="doubleclick"],
*[src*="falkag.net"],
*[href*="falkag.net"],
*[src*="fastclick.com"],
*[href*="fastclick.com"],
*[src*="mediaplex"],
*[href*="mediaplex"],
*[src*="netdirect.nl"],
*[href*="netdirect.nl"],
*[src*="spinbox."],
*[href*="spinbox."],
*[src*="tradedoubler.com"],
*[href*="tradedoubler.com"],
*[src*="transfer.go"],
*[href*="transfer.go"],
*[src*=".tribalfusion"],
*[href*=".tribalfusion"],
*[src*="valueclick"],
*[href*="valueclick"],
*[src*="http://216.92.211.171/"],
*[href*="http://216.92.211.171/"],
*[src*="http://216.92.21.16/"],
*[href*="http://216.92.21.16/"] {
display: none !important;
}
img[src*=".advance"],
img[src*="/click_"],
img[src*="/cnn/images/clickability/"],
img[src*="/logo2.m"],
img[src$="/banners/com000.jpg"],
a:link[href*=".add"] img,
a:link[href*="admin"] img,
a:link[href*="adobe"] img,a:link[href*=".adp"] img,
a:link[href*="/advance"] img,
a:link[href*="click.mp3"] img,
a:link[href*="/imgres?imgurl="] img,
a:link[href*=":head"] img,
a:link[href*="http://nettracker."] img,
embed[type="application/x-shockwave-flash"][src*="gallery"] {
display: inline !important;
}


Since I put this script in, the adblock extension has become very infrequently used. . .