SafariBlock helps to provide a seamless extension to Safari Web Browser that supports ad-blocking. It is by design an imitation of Firefox's AdBlock extension, written because I love AdBlock, but I prefer to use Safari on Mac OS X.
What's new in SafariBlock
SafariBlock 2.2r1 was built to address some issues with downloading 2.2. If you're still having trouble installing SafariBlock with 2.2r1, please file an issue ASAP.
Upon launching Safari browser, a Safariblock "welcome" message appears right in your face on top of the just launched Safari page. I find it quite annoying. There's no apparent way to disable it from appearing.
True you can easily quit the message but still, is the message really necessary? And in ones face no less?
Other than that annoyance, Safariblock is really fine.
It's a real pity that this app has been discontinued! I'm still using it in Safari 506 on OS 10.5.8/iMac G5 and it never stopped working perfectly!
I can use a standard list and add my specific items. Simply perfect!
At the present time, the list I use is:
http://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/liste_fr+easylist.txt
(the standard one is http://easylist-downloads.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt)
If you have a problem entering an url for the list, do it without "http://" or "https://".
Works very well on older macs.
Is still available via mirror (well-known mainstream computer mag):
http://www.chip.de/downloads/SafariBlock_38225335.html
Can't download this--getting a message when I click on the main download link here on MacUpdate:
Forbidden
Your client does not have permission to get URL /files/SafariBlock22r1.dmg from this server.
You are attempting to perform an activity that you have insufficient permissions for.
I installed SafariBlock and it works so well that NOTHING LOADS. Safari has become totally useless. There is no uninstall program that comes with this and searching for the files comes up empty. Hopefully if I re-install Safari I can have a functioning browser back.
Since there exist multiple (I counted 4) options, including doing the XCode 64-bit way, here's a summary:
Safari on 64-bit works with this mod from:
http://sweetpproductions.com/safariadblocker/
(Also listed here on MacUpdate)
The modifications of github are from this persons work:
http://burgersoftware.com/en/safariadblock
However, he uses the InputManager method. This has been depreciated and is NOT supported on 64-bit Applications. Apple wants the IM method to go away (google for more comprehensive commentary by some of the folks who have worked more with it).
There are also four or five forks, which I was unable to get working, looking like it had to do with the problem with IM on SL due to 64-bit.
The first mentioned build works because it uses a 64-bit build, using normal SIMBL plugins you can install via ~/Library/SIMBL/Plugins
It also takes care of installing SIMBL, using the 0.9.7a (at this time of writing) SIMBL plug.
I also assume GlimmerBlocker works, since it is NOT an InputMananger but instead proxies all your traffic as if you were on a corporate LAN and having all traffic filtered via a regular HTTP proxy. It's a great alternative solution, using components from the Mozilla Project, and is available opensource as well.
Hopefully this clears up some confusion.
Grrat Software, since it works on Safari4 64Bit its the best AdBlocker I ve ever had!!! It block also Flash Ads with a simple right click ...
I had Pithhelmet before (on 32Bit) but I think it will be really hard for him to beat SafariBlock ;)
Suddenly, yesterday, I've got an error message meaning "impossible to update the list" (really "too many http redirections").
After various tries, I found out that the address of the list has changed:
Now it's https://easylist.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt
instead of http://easylist.adblockplus.org/easylist.txt
But as the "http://" is added automatically, I think there's no way of changing it to "https://"... :-(
Strangely enough, while the auto update gives an error (and so do the "update now" button), if you click the "change..." button and validate without modifying the address, it works! (at less it seems)
Doesn't seem to be working at all in version 3...it used to, but after going back to 3 two days ago and installing fresh no ads are getting blocked.
WTF?
In Safari 4.0.1, right-click flash blocking seems to have stopped working, which is unfortunate. I'd love to see that restored. Otherwise it's a very good adblocker.
Upon launching Safari browser, a Safariblock "welcome" message appears right in your face on top of the just launched Safari page. I find it quite annoying. There's no apparent way to disable it from appearing.
True you can easily quit the message but still, is the message really necessary? And in ones face no less?
Other than that annoyance, Safariblock is really fine.
I just uninstalled SafariBlock after using it for a few months, only to finally determine that it was the cause of my computer drastically slowing down! I'm using a Powerbook G4 with Tiger. I am also using WebKit, so not exactly Safari, so I'm not sure if that affected it or how. My browser now runs about 1.5-2x faster after uninstalling. Before there were plenty of long beach ball pauses when opening new sites or switching between tabs.
Anyway, if anyone knows how I might be able to run SafariBlock without the slowdown (and without actually running the original Safari because WebKit is awesome) I would really appreciate it.
I'm very impressed with the update to SafariBlock. I didn't use it before because it required the tedious process of downloading the proper list files and even then didn't block the ads in the right way (like Firefox's AdBlock does). The automatic process employed now works really well, though, and other than some CPU usage inefficiency I'm very pleased overall. All it needs now is the ability to do single-user installs on Leopard and possibly the ability to choose from different adblock lists. And of course, tweaking the CPU usage would be nice. Well done overall.
Good. just what I needed, however I don't know what it means by import file. The only real problem is that when I go in the Preferences, and I click on a blocked ad, then click on another blocked ad it changes to the first one i click. Does anyone have the same problem? If you are the developer reading this could you fix this? other than that it's really good software
I'm having the same problem as I was before with SB 2.1. I get the "first run" window, but I can't close it and Safari won't open a new window. The "first run" window also doesn't stop reappearing when I quit and relaunch Safari.
Does this have anything to do with having Safari AdBlock installed? Is anyone else having this problem too?
Great idea, but flawed. v.2r3 mistakenly blocks some important pages in their entirety that are NOT ads. There needs to be a way to bypass AdBlock in this event, otherwise I have to switch browsers or uninstall.
Still some problems here on 10.4.11 and a G4. On some sites safari starts to eat 100% of the cpu. When I disable SafariBlock everything become normal again.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find out which website which caused this.
I think this app is a great idea though, and I really hope it will work flaslessly in a near future.
As a feature request, I would love to have the possibility of having many subscribtions. Subscribtions for very specific needs, or more localized subscriptions have a nice supplement to the easylist+easyelement subscribtion...
Any chance on getting a Per-Site option on this? This would match an important Pithhelmet feature since I really need to turn blocking off all together for testing on client sites.
When I installed SB2r2, on launching Safari I got a "first-run" dialogue window that explained the basics of SB. It included a small checkbox for setting automatic updates.
I couldn't close this dialogue box and I could not open a Safari browser window. Restarting the computer, repairing permissions and relaunching Safari yielded the same results. All I could do was force quit Safari and uninstall SB.
I really relied on SB when I was running Tiger. But SB2 has been nothing but flaky.
I love this, better than ever.
But if you add your own filters, in the "Manual" pane, does that turn off the EasyList filters?
The way the dialog currently reads, that's what it seems to do.
I'd like to use EasyList but ADD some of my own. Is that how it works?
PROBLEM:
Apple has made it in Leopard so that InputManagers doesn't work, unless a hack is installed. SafariBlock uses InputManagers, so how do people who don't want to make their Mac vulnerable, block ads?
If you use the InputManagers hack, you void Leopard's built-in virus protection. Supposedly, InputManagers were removed to close a security hole from Tiger on back.
Is the developer going to switch to plug-ins to make it work better and be more secure?
Downloading this from MacUpdate caused Safari to consistently crash. Went to developer site -- the latest version listed there is v1.3. Installing that version appears to work fine but does not contain the new features listed for v2.0. Has the developer have pulled v2 until the crashes are fixed?
Safari crashed. Possible reason: conflicts with my other InputManager bundles already installed (Chax, inquisitor, LiveDict and 1passwd.
Removing SafariBlock from InputManager folder solves the issue.
PPC G4 1Ghz 10.4.11
I downloaded 'version 2.0' using the MacUpdate download link and got SafariBlock2r1.dmg. Curious, I followed the information link where I downloaded 'version 2.0' - it is called SafariBlock2-1.dmg. They're of differing sizes as well as names. So, which is it? Or are neither of these version 2.0?
SafariBlock conflicts with iGetter!
I've been trying to get SafariBlock to work for several versions now with no luck. When SafariBlock is installed in my InputManagers folder, right-clicking ALWAYS makes my Safari crash!
I finally removed the iGetter folder from the InputManagers folder, and now SafariBlock actually works.
I really hope this conflict gets fixed, because I LOVE my iGetter!
Hey there Steven Jay Cohen,
sudo chown -R root:admin /Library/InputManagers
I think worked fine, but when I ran;
sudo chmod -R go-w /Library/InputManagers
It doesn't show up in the menu or preference pane (in Leopard 10.5 of course!)
Any suggestions? What was the last line in the terminal supposed to do?
I've had SafariBlock on Leopard for a day or so now, and it works well for many ads, but doesn't seem to work for Flash-based ads.
When I right click on the ads, Safari just shows the Flash menu, not also a menu with SafariBlock.
Its not working for me.
The SafariBlock folder is in my InputManagers folder. When I restart Safari - nothings different. There's no SafariBlock anything when I right click and there's no SafariBlock tab in preferences. I'm using Safari 3.0.4. I tried using SafariBlock 6 months ago and it didn't work then either. ...Oh well...
@Corpsecorps
Thanks for the tip. What exactly is that command doing? And if for some reason you needed to, how would you go back to the state you were in before you ran that command?
A thousand pardons!
It's NOT dead in Leopard.
• Put SafariBlock in /Library/InputManagers/
• In the Terminal, type
'sudo chown -R root:admin /Library/InputManagers'
• Supply an admin password
• Start up Safari
Yay.
Whenever I right-click a link or a picture, Safari crashes. This does not happen when right-clicking a Flash animation to block it. The problem goes away when I remove the SafariBlock from the InputManagers folder.
Wow! I am amazed how much this has improved!
I have been writing GoodVibrations (the CSS adblock file) and I decided to try out safariblock tonight.
Fantastic work!
Hell, it doesn't work at all now! I put this away after reading the insulting comments by the developer. I came back to it after a few months and now, when I right-click, absolutely nothing happens. Reinstalled...nothing.
Well the software does its job. And it's certainly easier than editing your hosts file.
On the downside, I'm leery of installing anything into the InputManagers folder as it could potentially compromise the entire system. And the frames blocker is apparently broken.
But, judging by his replies to a few of the reviews here, the developer needs to take some anger management courses. So I will abstain from giving a rating. I would give high marks but I don't believe one should be rewarded when they're a jerk to users asking honest questions.
it's too bad, because this is a great piece of software that's being hindered by the arrogance of its developer.
YES! That response from the developer is absolutely uncalled for, especially since the reviewer apologised in advance for his probing questions. I, for one, thought the reviewer's inquiries were absolutely on the mark and I appreciate his calling our attention to what he found.
Based on the arrogant response from the developer, I'd say the reviewer's inquiries hit a raw nerve and probably for good reason. I'd steer clear of this plugin, only based on the possibility that things are not what they appear and the developer's rudeness only reinforced that impression.
I love this plug-in, it's invaluable after coming from linux and using firefox in the past.
The only thing I would love to be added though is an exceptions feature. Apple, to try and keep you viewing ads, I suppose, has put it's stylesheets on a site commonly used for hosting adverts. Therefore, after blocking thier site, the Apple Store does not display properly. Damned annoying.
It would be great to make exceptions for their style sheets.
mostly strange !!!
SafariBlock has functionned for a few days then nothing. the contextual thing doesn't appear anymore.
the block is there in Saf's pref. with the same list of http's but so are the adds...
nothing , niente , rien !!!
so sad .....those adds are driving me crazy !
This app feels spooky. It adds cookies that goes to a site that is somehow connected to the developer.
While this might not pose any risk for the end users, I think it would be appropriate if the developer added some form of explanation to this behaviour in the program description.
Seing what other types of programs have been made by this developer - key logging kexts, "mac crack" apps and somesuch - I think, in these days, with computer fraud being a trivial threat, one should be aware of anything that goes on "under the hood" of programs.
I don't mean to let this, hopefully nicely intended, and by all other means, well executed app down. And I will not rate it down either, here on MacUpdate. But you know, if one is being paranoid about computer fraud and all things related to that chapter, you probably understand the concerns that one might have, in being kept in-the-know of what's really going on with apps like this.
So my question is, it seems it only saves cookies when choosing to 'check for updates' in SafariBlock's prefs: Why does it have to save these cookies (8 in total) and what are they for?:
- SessionHitCount
- RSAddParams
- PCAddParams
- Domain
- ActionsTaken
- LastURL
- RefPage
- SessionID
I hope my question is not taken as being offensive (I don't mean to). Good luck and Merry X-Mas! :)
Great idea, but doesn't fully work. I'm constantly having to re-add filters as it does not remember them after Safari quits.
It's been a long time since it has been updated; probably dead in development.
_
Not a bad start, but it's no Adblock or Adblock Plus!
No REGEX support?
No preloaded filters?
Long overdue for an update/upgrade.
Where's a system-wide adblock proxy that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, does more than just block whole domains, and doesn't have some horrible gobbledygook interface? (i.e. privoxy)
Um...this doesn't work like Firefox's AdBlock extension at all. I find this almost useless. It has no pre-listed ad-blocking rules. And the sites I got to have frequently changing images, so the ones I try to block are never blocked. Meh...
Essential, wonderful, and in combination with SafariPlus, I have two great tools for easy undisturbed browsing.
Many thanks indeed!
(10.4.6/ Safari 2.0.3 (417.9.3) on G4).
This componant is working just great. Some websites I was used to read but now full of advertising shit are becoming readable again.
Easy to use.
Easy to configure.
Easy to pay (free!!)
And what a feature !
A must have.
So I've just installed SafariBlock 1.14 for OS X 10.4.4 Safari 2.0.3... and restarted Safari.
I am supposed to right-click an image to get menu to add it to blocking. (Cntl-click for me)... but each time I do Safari crashes.
Anybody got any ideas?
Hi, I'm the developer.
Unfortunately my web host removed my website without any warning and refuses to respond to my emails. If anyone can host my website for free, please contact me at braden127 at myrealbox dot com. It's only 10 megs and doesn't use any server-side scripts. I would prefer my own subdomain. Thanks...
The developer's site is down. I have placed a copy here: http://www.anokwa.com/SafariBlock.zip
Unzip the folder and place it in ~/Library/InputManagers
Works great. PithHelmet may be powerful, but this has it beat in the ease-of-use and price departments. I've never had a stability problem I could attribute to SafariBlock.
I posted a few months back about various console messages, including "yylex: ERROR." Since then I tried disabling, then uninstalling SafariBlock, but I still get that message (I never got it before I installed SB). I also tried installing the new version of SB and turning everything off before disabling it, but I still get that error message.
Now I'm wondering if that console message is not related to SB, although I'd swear it is since, like I mentioned above, I started getting it immediately after installing SB for the first time. Is there anything else I have to do to completely uninstall SB besides move the SB folder to the Trash?
No crashes nor slowdowns whatever on my 1.5GHz PowerBook running 10.4.3 with 1.5GB RAM, this thing just works.
As a side note, Safari has not crashed on me since OS X 10.3.x (I forget which version but it wasn't 10.3.9)
seems to work good with safari 2.0.2 - i have been waiting for this & i'm very happy about it. some wishes:
- don't show the "?"-icons for removed flash elements (and images?)
- don't leave space for the hidden pictures (i have sometimes, not always, an empty space preserved)
- update a page immediately after blocking an element
- provide an option (like in adblock) to show all blockable elements of a page
... now, i don't know how complicate it is to implement all this, so, i'm quite happy to have an adblock-like adblocker for safari as it is now. thank you very much.
it's a super thing, but 1.14 is unstable. beachball on safari startup, but after force quit it seems to work. i'm going back to 1.13 until its fixed and does no longer show blue question marks for blocked images
Not bad. However it blocks info from sites that are useful. For example I use www.mappy.com a navigation website. When SafariBlock is enabled it stops the display of the map. I have to keep turning SafariBlock off every time I launch Safari otherwise many websites wont load properly - a pain in the ass.
thanks for this!
however, would be nice if no blue question marks would be shown instead of the blocked pics. looks not nice like this, so i still need the css from floppymoose.com in addition to safariblock to see literally NO trace of ads at all. maybe you can fix this?
also, i encounter quite a few safari crashes with v1.14...
I like the functionality of SafariBlock however sometimes, even when no Safari windows are open, Safari is using near 40% of the CPU when this SafariBlock is installed. This usually happens after I browse for a while and continue until I close Safari and reopen it. This was never an issue before I installed SafariBlock (1.13) and stopped when SafariBlock was uninstalled. It would be great if this can be looked into and will volunteer to run any version that might help the developers to find the issue.
Thanks.
Lets you set blocking for any ad server easily. Very easy to use and very effective, especially with the wildcard feature. The only thing I'd like to see added is the ability to input and output the block list so it can be shared.
Well I have used this for some time and used a set of ad and image blocks as advised by others.
It does what it says...
However what i have noticed is that it slows Safari down rather than speeding it up, why is this?
Fantastic software, works exactly as advertised.
It also seems to work on anything that uses the webkit framework (like NetNewsWire) which had nothing to do with this software... just an added bonus.
Good job.
Importing and Exporting of blocked lists would be nice. Another app I saw once uploaded your lists and combined them with other users lists to create a 'super list' which you could stay updated with. That would be nice.
Great Safari add on. However, Saft and SafariBlock seem to clash with each other, even if Saft's ad-blocking feature is turned off. This problem occurs with Saft 8.1.5 and SafariBlock 1.13.
As some may know, Saft seems to clash with a lot of other Safari add-ons, like AcidSearch and PithHelmet.
This works great.
Basic sites to block:
More On SafariBlock
Well, it's been a full week of using SafariBlock - a painfully simple to use and setup ad blocker for Safari - and I'm seeing no ads anywhere. I thought I'd share my really short list of block strings with everyone in case you want to add mine to yours:
http://*.fastclick.net/*
http://*.googlesyndication.com/*
http://*.digitalacre.com/*
http://ads.macupdate.com/*
http://*.falkag.net/*
http://*.atdmt.com/*
http://*.tribalfusion.com/*
http://kermit.macnn.com/*
http://*.2mdn.net/*
http://*/phpads/*
http://*.backbeatmedia.com/*
http://a248.e.akamai.net/*
http://*.mediaplex.com/*
http://*.valueclick.com/*
http://*.pointroll.com/*
http://*.doubleclick.net/*
http://*.thinktarget.com/*
http://*.advertising.com/*
http://*/ads/*
http://*ad-images/*
http://www.mercuras.com/*
works fine. would be cool if it could block whole frames like the css from floppymoose.com can do it. i use floppymoose and safariblock now hand in hand and see zero ads. wonderful!
suggestions for future versions:
• blocklist import
• ad-frame blocking
4 of 5 stars now cause i still need floppymoose
How would you rate SafariBlock app?
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