David Geer Talks Tech
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Sunday, July 17, 2005
Add to the hosts file using Hostess Courtesy of http://www.GeerCom.com.
Geer Communications - your on time technology writer!
Welcome!
Now that we've covered the value and usefulness of having a good hosts file, let's talk about an easy way to keep it full with long lists of bad links you'll want to avoid.
Hostess is a program that Imports hosts files and ads them to the current hosts file. This will help you block even more adware and Spyware sites.
Go to the link above and click OK if needed to start the download. Save the compressed file somewhere on your computer where you can easily find it. Now surf there and unzip the file using a program like WinZip. (We may have to have an article on installing and using WinZip. What do you think?)
Note where the files are being opened to so you can go there. Once you've arrived at the folder, probably C:\unzipped\hostess, double click on Hostess.exe. Click File and Import in the menu of the Hostess program. Click the Import button. Then click Close.
You have added all current hosts to the program. Now, let's find another good hosts file to add to this one so we can block even more adware and Spyware sites.
To get a nice big good ad blocking hosts file, surf to
Hosts-File.net Downloads and download the hosts file on the right that is for your operating system. Mine is XP.
Before you continue, copy and paste the current hosts file to another folder. If you don't like the results of this process, this will allow you to paste this copy back over the updated hosts file to go back to the former state.
Once you've opened the compressed file (.zip) copy the folder path in the URL (explorer, browser) window at the top of that folder. Now go to Hostess, File, and Import and copy that path into the field at the top. To the end of the path add HOSTS.TXT. Click the Import button.
You are now joining the two hosts files together as one. Once completed, close that window and the Hostess program and any other extraneous folders and you're done.
As always, comments and questions are welcome.
Best,
David Geer - your on time technology writer!
Geer Communications
Geer Communications - your on time technology writer!
Welcome!
Now that we've covered the value and usefulness of having a good hosts file, let's talk about an easy way to keep it full with long lists of bad links you'll want to avoid.
Hostess is a program that Imports hosts files and ads them to the current hosts file. This will help you block even more adware and Spyware sites.
Go to the link above and click OK if needed to start the download. Save the compressed file somewhere on your computer where you can easily find it. Now surf there and unzip the file using a program like WinZip. (We may have to have an article on installing and using WinZip. What do you think?)
Note where the files are being opened to so you can go there. Once you've arrived at the folder, probably C:\unzipped\hostess, double click on Hostess.exe. Click File and Import in the menu of the Hostess program. Click the Import button. Then click Close.
You have added all current hosts to the program. Now, let's find another good hosts file to add to this one so we can block even more adware and Spyware sites.
To get a nice big good ad blocking hosts file, surf to
Hosts-File.net Downloads and download the hosts file on the right that is for your operating system. Mine is XP.
Before you continue, copy and paste the current hosts file to another folder. If you don't like the results of this process, this will allow you to paste this copy back over the updated hosts file to go back to the former state.
Once you've opened the compressed file (.zip) copy the folder path in the URL (explorer, browser) window at the top of that folder. Now go to Hostess, File, and Import and copy that path into the field at the top. To the end of the path add HOSTS.TXT. Click the Import button.
You are now joining the two hosts files together as one. Once completed, close that window and the Hostess program and any other extraneous folders and you're done.
As always, comments and questions are welcome.
Best,
David Geer - your on time technology writer!
Geer Communications
