What's the best Messenger popup blocker?

[nosmohtac]

I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of these messenger pop ups for porn sites and other useless info popping up on me all of the time.

Even worse, is when they pop up on my kids.
I can see that it will take some kind of legislation to stop this, but in the mean time what is the best software to block these annoying ads?

[Kati Compton]

If it's the Windows Messenger client, you can block those without extra software. These are the popup windows that show up even if you're not browsing or doing anything, right? Here's a link (http://faq.ozoneasylum.com/853) that tells you what to do.

If you're talking about IM pop-ups, there is generally a setting to only accept messages from people on your contact list. Enable that.

If you're talking about regular browser popups, there's a few utilities out there that I'm sure people can point you to. I just use Mozilla (http://www.mozilla.org)

[dean_shan]

You can also use Avant Browser (http://www.avantbrowser.com/). It uses IE but blocks pop up ads.

[nosmohtac]

If it's the Windows Messenger client, you can block those without extra software. These are the popup windows that show up even if you're not browsing or doing anything, right? Here's a link (http://faq.ozoneasylum.com/853) that tells you what to do.

If you're talking about IM pop-ups, there is generally a setting to only accept messages from people on your contact list. Enable that.

If you're talking about regular browser popups, there's a few utilities out there that I'm sure people can point you to. I just use Mozilla (http://www.mozilla.org)

Thanks, I knew there must be a way to do this within the system. Unfortunately, I am not as much of a computer guru as I would like to be.

This irks me even more though, since a lot of these pop ups are advertisements charging for software to do this. :evil:

[Kati Compton]

This irks me even more though, since a lot of these pop ups are advertisements charging for software to do this. :evil:
When these first appeared, a lot of school computers were hit with these weird pop-ups. For guess what?


"U N I V E R S I T Y D E G R E E S"


:) Darn, why have I been wasting all my time doing it the hard way? ;)

[Jerry Raia]

I use Zone Alarm Pro. I have never gotten a popup, not once.

[Janak Parekh]

:) Darn, why have I been wasting all my time doing it the hard way? ;)
Because both you and I are stupid, that's why. :D We have a sign on our door advertising those free University degrees...

--janak

[nosmohtac]

I used the advice here to shut down those annoying pop ups, but now I'm wondering if there is a way to shut down windows messenger (the IM one)
I don't do IM and would like to have it off.
TIA. :D

[Darius Wey]

Do you mean remove Windows Messenger altogether?

If so, there's no proper way to remove it other than going to Add or Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components (in the Control Panel) and unchecking the Windows Messenger box (this only removes all system shortcuts - not the program itself). By the way, this is assuming you have Windows XP SP1 or Windows XP SP2. The default Windows XP version will not provide this option.