I literally haven’t seen anyone even mention it anywhere on the internet as if it never existed, when it comes to Ad blockers I always see uBO recommended with absolutely no mention whatsoever of ABP why? What makes it better than ABP? What happened to it? or maybe I’m wrong and ABP is not as well known as I think it is.

I have been using ABP for many years until someday don’t remember when I switched to uBO because I read that it is “the best ad blocker”.

I maybe need a history lesson as everything on the matter seems so vague to me and the whole situation is super weird

  • gullible
    10•11 months ago

    I do feel bad about it on occasion. But then. I remember getting the ol’ rootkit/worm combo from gamefaqs and forgive myself. These sites have long since lost my trust.

    • Doug [he/him]English
      2•11 months ago

      So you got screwed once and that’s it for everyone ever? How do you not live in a hut in the mountains?

      • gullible
        6•11 months ago

        You are right, I’m sequestering myself by avoiding malvertising on my expensive electronics. If you have any additional tips to aid in sequestering further, I’ll listen to those.

        • Doug [he/him]English
          1•11 months ago

          We’re obviously not on the same page here.

          I object to blocking “all ads”.

          You responded to that by stating you lost trust for, presumably, everyone after a specific incident.

          To extend that it seems implausible that you could trust anyone, about anything, ever. If one instance of a thing can break your trust for everything like it, what other possibility could exist.

          On the other hand, if you’re blocking malicious ads, which is to say not every ad across the whole of the Internet, that’s a very different thing which I do not object to.

          Are we more clear now?

          • gullible
            4•11 months ago

            If there were an assurance of safety in advertising then I’d be fine with accepting ads. Insurance or somesuch. Credit card stolen by a pickpocket in a crowded street? Cancel, reverse charges, out an hour, a card replacement fee, and a few weeks of fuming as police do nothing. Multiple compromised devices on your network? Tough luck, buddy. Shouldn’t have used a well trusted site. Enjoy your months of confusion and hundreds spent.

            I lose nothing from blocking ads. Ads aren’t an experience to try out, as if pusillanimity has something to do with it. When sites go back to stock banner ads, I’m back in.

            • Doug [he/him]English
              1•11 months ago

              You think no one has ever had to spend time and money dealing with a picked pocket or a pothole on a road they drive every day? It’s not always as easy as you make it sound. Just like a lot of times you run an antivirus and it takes care of everything. Not always but sometimes your whole identity is stolen and it can be years later and you’re still dealing with problems. Guess you shouldn’t have gone to the gas station you always go to.

              Why would sites go back to stock banner ads when they’re so easily blocked. Why do you think they stopped? The same culture you’re now defending pushed them out. Now it’s an arms race with stronger measures on both sides all the time.

              You lose nothing by blocking ads today. At some point the bill comes due and either you can’t block them so easily or you lose access to the content you want to see. You’re pulling pebbles away from a levee and telling everyone it’s safe because nothing has happened.

              • gullible
                1•11 months ago

                You have it backwards, Adblocking exploded after tracking became commonplace and invasive, and it has only gotten worse on that front. I get the vague impression you weren’t around for the days when malvertising was a chronic threat created exclusively by greedy companies without decent security controls. Bring back dumb ads and I’ll see them. I’m still going to block every form of JavaScript on your site that I can, but I’ll undoubtedly see your banner ads.