
Trainable pop-up blockers rely on user input to determine which pop-ups to deactivate and which to leave alone. In general, most intelligent pop-up blockers only disable pop-ups that open when a Web page first loads into your browser - any pop-up that opens as a result of the user clicking on a link remains unhampered. Some of them are very good at blocking nuisance pop-ups while leaving helpful pop-ups alone - they're Intelligent pop-up blockers. You can find programs that incorporate Javascript and flash ad blockers in one package.īut not all pop-up blockers are created equal. These programs are similar to pop-up blockers in that they disable the commands found in Web pages that activate Flash animation. To block Flash ads, you'll need Flashblock program. A Javascript pop-up blocker is helpless against flash pop-ups because it's a completely different programming language.

Some pop-ups use other programming languages, such as Flash. In this article, we'll look at what a pop-up blocker does, the different kinds of blockers you can use to reduce pop-ups and the potential issues you might encounter when you've activated a pop-up blocker. Today, pop-up blockers come packaged in most Web browsers, and dozens of commercial and free programs also keep your browsing window clutter-free. The then-most popular blocker was PopUp Killer, created by Xavier Flix. The earliest pop-up blockers appeared on the Internet scene in the mid '90s. Because the ads are so intrusive, Internet users have consistently voted them the most annoying form of online advertisement in surveys.Įnter the pop-up blocker.

The new window appears on top of your current view, obscuring the Web page you actually want to see. Most pop-up ads are Javascript applications that open a new browser window containing new content. Even worse, some pop-ups contain malicious code like spyware or computer viruses.

Sometimes a user might prompt three more windows to open just as he manages to close the first one. Some pop-up ads contain extensive animations or sound elements that can be distracting to surfers or even make it impossible to navigate through a Web page.
