
Get Browser Plug-ins Working #62
Chapter 8, Desktop Programs
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195
HACK
You can also use this technique to block advertisements. Many domain
names are dedicated exclusively to serving advertisements. If you list those
domain names in your /etc/hosts file and make them point to your own
machine, your browser won’t load the advertisement. I don’t recommend
doing this, however. This ad-blocking technique isn’t nearly as effective as it
once was. For one thing, many advertisers have figured out how to get
around this short-circuit technique, and it simply won’t work. For another,
ads are often useful instead of annoying. But if you’re determined to block
advertisements, plenty of more-effective methods are available, such as ad-
blocking extensions for various browsers, or other ad-blocking tools that
run in the background.
HACK
#62
Get Browser Plug-ins Working Hack #62
Liven up the Web with a plug-in or two.
The Web has long moved beyond its humble beginnings as a text-based
medium. Now it is filled with dynamic content that includes animations,
interactivity, video, sound, and other types of media. Special software,
known as plug-ins, is usually required to use this new content. Getting plug-
ins to work in Firefox can be a little difficult, so this hack explores how to
get the two most common plug-ins working: Macromedia Flash and Java.
Use the Macromedia Flash Plug-in
The Macromedia Flash plug-in enables ...