Pop ups and other intrusive types of advertising are now used to thrust an ad in your face that you have no choice but to at least acknowledge. Regardless of the nature of the ad, pop ups are a nuisance, and there are now many options available for keeping them off of your computer screen all together.
1. Internet Explorer 8 (Windows Users)
The pop up blocker is integrated into the browser and can be customized by browsing to the “Tools” tab at the top of the program. Like many pop up blocker applications, personal preferences can be set to allow/block pop ups from certain sites, as well as providing customization for how the user is alerted to the fact that a pop up has been blocked.
2. Other Web Browsers (Windows, Linux, and Mac users)
There are other choices for web browsers available, and many have included a pop up blocker long before Microsoft decided to include one with Internet Explorer. Since Mozilla Firefox browser was officially released on November 9th it has included a pop up blocker. Also, check out Google Chrome and Apple Safari.
3. Browser Tool Bars
Many toolbars offer unique features intended to enhance the user’s web browsing experience in different ways, but they generally also include a pop up blocker. Although there are toolbars available from dozens of websites, Google and Yahoo are the two best available. The installation of these toolbars is quick and easy, and the most difficult part may be reading the fine print in the license agreements. Although these toolbars may do an excellent job blocking pop ups, they may also be retrieving data on your web surfing / search habits. If you feel a toolbar may be the right solution for you, stick with one from a trusted name, and just be sure to read the fine print. By the way we prefer the Google Toolbar.
4. Pop Up Blocker Software
Stand alone pop up blocking software is available from hundreds of different sources. With various interfaces, and prices ranging from free to $30 (and higher). The main drawback to this type of pop up blocking solution is that you now have another independent application running on your computer. Although they are generally not resource intensive, why run a program to do something that can be handled by one that is already running anyway? Additionally, with so many reliable solutions available to eliminate pop ups for free, spending money on one is hard to justify. We suggest you pick from options 1,2, or 3 above.
Final Words
Pop ups are a fact of life on the internet, but that does not mean you need to put up with them. Among the general solutions presented above, there are literally hundreds of options available for eliminating the clutter of pop up ads, allowing you to enjoy only the content you intended to see.
