[Gloucs] Frustrate their knavish tricks.

[Andrew Oakley]

N Clarke wrote:
> If you want to block flash, you're probably better looking at 
> something like flashblock (http://flashblock.mozdev.org/)

That's exactly what I use, and it is excellent in every imaginable way.

Basically to get around the "website insists I have flash" problem, I
install real proper Flash from the Adobe site (they provide a
Debian/Ubuntu package) then I use the Flashblock addon to prevent it
running on all sites by default.

The Flashblock addon replaces all areas where there should be a Flash
object, with a blank square containing a "Play" button.

Flash can then be executed, only on my demand, by clicking that play
button. Alternatively, I can use the Flashblock drop-down options to
whitelist a particular site which I always want to run all Flash.

I do this to save bandwidth, to prevent distraction and to free up
processing resources. Privacy is not a concern of mine; I think people
reach for their tinfoil hats far too much these days. "Privacy is an
illusion; banking doubly so" to misquote Douglas Adams.

> In terms of javascript, note that there's a big difference between 
> javascript and Java - the use of the word 'java' in both places is 
> rather confusing, since there's really no link between them. You may 
> well find you're using javascript without realising it on many sites 
> (lots of the useful functionality on google, for example).  If you're 
> still concerned about it, you can disable javascript fairly easily in 
> firefox preferences->content.

I also use a Firefox addon to prevent Javascript running, however by
default I let it run Javascript and only block scripts on demand for
particularly agressive sites.

NoScript can block both Java and Javascript:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722

Andrew Oakley
Head of Software Development
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
95 Promenade, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1HZ
T 01242 211460  F 01242 211122  W www.hesa.ac.uk

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