Blocking Facebook to get better forum performance

[vtmaps]

On a recent thread: http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?16301 I was surprised to see how many forum members do not have Facebook accounts (I thought I was the last person in the world without an account).

I barely have internet access where I live, and when it works at all it has latency issues. Therefore I try all sorts of things to improve my surfing experience (such as turning off images).

I use a Macintosh computer and one of the things I do to improve my experience at this forum is to block all connections to Facebook. I use a program called Little Snitch. Little Snitch allows me to know where my computer is connecting, and to block any connection. I was surprised to find how often this forum tries to connect to Facebook, and I am happy to report that my Wind-Sun surfing is measurably improved by blocking Facebook connections.

--vtMaps

[boB]

I do have a facebook account but I block the usual facebook.net setting in Noscript (Firefox)...

I didn't know what effect it would have on improvements but it is great to know that it can help.

Thanks !

boB

[icarus]

What's Facebook?

Tony

PS,, I thought you were locked in the bathroom BoB!

[BB.]

Typical setup I tell people to use for Windows computers (all free):

AVG Free (not sure if anti-virus is needed these days--Windows Defender is supposed to be OK)
Firefox
SpywareBlaster (blocks many Active-X "stuff" in Internet Explorer and tracking cookies+"bad" websites)

Note the following are installed in FireFox by going to "Tools/Add-Ons" and searching for the following names:

NoScript (you do have to "white list" your sites--some folks do not want the hassles to "train"--Nice that it can stop most autostart flash ads and sounds)
Adblock Plus (plus at least one or two subscriptions for ad blocking--such as "Easy List")
Ghostery (blocks "tracking bugs"--You may need to enable some tracking bugs for specific websites such as "Discuss" for commenting on some websites)
Better Privacy (erase Flash tracking cookies and others)

NoScript is great because you must "allow" good websites to run scripts and drive-by downloads on your web browser--So it typically blocks anything "new" until you allow the website. But, there is some experimentation with using it--So, it does take some time to get it configured for your needs. Not everyone is happy with doing this.

Ghostery shows you who is tracking your web usage (usually loading a little piece of graphic like a "transparent" pixel). This can really improve web performance (I have seen my local newspaper site with 10-15+ different websites trying to load--And there have been lots of complaints about slow-downs--I don't have any using Ghostery). However, there are "tools" that websites use to support functions on the websites--So Ghostery can "break" these functions until you figure out which ones to turn on (along with NoScript).

-Bill

[dhsola]

Abine Privacy Suite for FF. I think they have a 'Do not Track' for IE also.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir.../privacysuite/

I was using the beta version of the Privacy Suite for about a year. Through their software, I learned there is an astonishing amount of internet tracking going on these days...

http://abine.com/apps.php

And of course good old ccleaner. But be careful what you tell it to clean. You could end-up with no history, sessions, internet cache. Some people rely on those even though they could also be used by the trackers.

http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/features

Facebook?

[Cariboocoot]

FWIW:

Along these same lines I have recently stopped visiting one web site where I kept in touch with some friends in the UK because the server installed new software which can detect if you are running Ad Blocker, it won't let you participate if you are. The ads slow the thing to an unmanageable crawl (2 min page loads), and I don't care if Asian women want to meet me.

[boB]

What's Facebook?

Tony

PS,, I thought you were locked in the bathroom BoB!

I AM !! But sometimes I have to leave the bathroom to go to the bathroom.

Good thing there is internet in the bathroom !!

[The Only Sarge]

I use facebookblocker for firefox. Works great and definetly speeds up the pages.

[westbranch]

Sarge, hod did you open the file? downloaded it and nada...

[CDN_VT]

For Firefox , I clicked on the link on the page , then it gives me a choice , open or save , I picked open and then it will ask the program , find the firefox icon & poof , it will ask if you want to install this "Add-on".

I run ad block , plus ..12 add-on's just for much cleaner pages.
Restricting cookies & 3rd party cookies , while most good sites have pre authorized ok's.
Do not track add on also.

VT