by Charles Miller

I write this with the realization that this is the fourth week in a row that I have addressed the subject of web browsers. That is because there is a lot to be said about browsers, mostly because for many internet users it is the program used the most. Indeed, for some people their web browser is the ONLY program they ever use. Whether it be on your computer, smart phone, or tablet; your web browser is the program you use to access all the web sites you read, banking web sites you use, social media you follow, email you use to communicate, and much more. While I feel the need to change the subject, there is one more story related to browsers.

A couple of weeks ago I related the experience of a fellow who thought the volume controls of his laptop was faulty. That was a logical assumption based on empirical observation, however; it was dead wrong. When he played a Youtube video it was frequently interrupted by advertisements that turned his volume up to 100% assaulting his eardrums, annoying his neighbors, and scaring the dog. The real issue is that his web browser was allowing intrusive ads that controlled the volume of his computer. Another unrelated issue is that his browser screen was half covered with ads.

As I continued the conversation with this fellow, pointing out all the ads, his response was "That's the internet!" What I came to realize is that he honestly believed the internet was essentially like his television: what you see is what you get. What he had always assumed is that when his browser displayed a web page covered with ads, he believed that is what everyone else using the internet also saw. And he was unaware he had any control over the display.

He told me that the web site he used daily was Youtube.com because of the wide range of news, sports, documentaries, music, and entertainment; all available for free. His only complaint was the frequent interruptions for ads that turn his volume all the way up. He was using Google's Chrome browser which as some readers know is provided by one of the largest advertising business companies in the world. Just like a lot of internet users, he was simply unaware that he had any other choice other than to tolerate all the ads.

To remedy his problem I suggested he try using another browser by the name of "Pale Moon" for watching Youtube. That was purely on the strength of the fact that a few weeks prior one of the tech podcasts I follow had mentioned that for now Pale Moon seems to do the best job of blocking the most objectionable ads. Pale Moon is a community project, a collaborative software development by volunteers, and the program is cost free.

We installed Pale Moon along side his Google Chrome browser. He did not want to lose the browser that had all his passwords stored, his bookmarks, etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a second or even a third web browser installed on your computer or mobile device. Moreover; I did not encourage him to stop using Google Chrome completely. I warned him if he tried to use Pale Moon for all of his internet browsing he would probably encounter web pages that throw up a full-screen roadblock saying (I am paraphrasing here) "You're using an ad blocker! You're not welcome on this page until you uninstall it, and don't come back until you do!"

I also warn everyone that while Pale Moon might be the web browser recommend today for avoiding online advertising, this will not be the case indefinitely. Advertisers have much at stake if too many people find it too easy to avoid online ads, so you can be sure that they are working on ways to circumvent ad blocking programs.

I do not deny the internet runs off of advertising dollars. The fellow who installed Pale Moon while keeping Google Chrome probably struck an equitable compromise. He continues to use Chrome and sees its ads much of the time, but when ready to spend some time on Youtube he uses Pale Moon in order to not have his experience constantly interrupted by aggressive advertising.

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Charles Miller is a freelance computer consultant with decades of IT experience and a Texan with a lifetime love for Mexico. The opinions expressed are his own. He may be contacted at 415-101-8528 or email FAQ8 (at) SMAguru.com.

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