YouTube alternatives...

[elmagicochrisg]

I'm fed up with YouTube and it's in your face advertising. I shouldn't have to use adblockers and stuff to have a better YouTube. Anyways, I only have 512MB RAM, so my PC slows down too much with add-ons...

If you know of any good alternatives, post them here...

Preferably all-round sites, but sites with specific content are welcome too...

[dsheinem]

I'm fed up with YouTube and it's in your face advertising. I shouldn't have to use adblockers and stuff to have a better YouTube. Anyways, I only have 512MB RAM, so my PC slows down too much with add-ons...

If you know of any good alternatives, post them here...

Preferably all-round sites, but sites with specific content are welcome too...

You do realize that RAM is extremely cheap these days, right?

[brunoafh]

Just change your hosts file. Not an add-on so you won't have any memory problems, and it'll block pretty much everything, on any site.

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

[elmagicochrisg]

You do realize that RAM is extremely cheap these days, right?

Yeah, maybe I should look into it and make this one of my priority purchases in the near future...

Just change your hosts file. Not an add-on so you won't have any memory problems, and it'll block pretty much everything, on any site.

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

Care to elaborate a little more, in layman's terms?...

I'm pretty much a noob regarding anything PC...

[brunoafh]

The site pretty much explains what to do and what you're actually doing, but basically just follow these instructions:

Code: Select all

# Let me repeat, the file should be named "hosts" NOT "hosts.txt".

# For Windows 9x and ME place this file at "C:\Windows\hosts"
# For NT, Win2K and XP use "C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
#                       or "C:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
# For Windows 7 and Vista use "C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
#			or "%systemroot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
# You may have to use Notepad and "Run as Administrator"
# For Linux, Unix, or OS X place this file at "/etc/hosts". You will 
#    require root access to do this. Saving this file to "~/hosts" will
#    allow you to run something like "sudo cp ~/hosts /etc/hosts".
# Ubuntu users who experience trouble with apt-get should consult
#    http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-613521.html
# For OS/2 copy the file to "%ETC%\HOSTS" and in the CONFIG.SYS file,
#    ensure that the line "SET USE_HOSTS_FIRST=1" is included.
# For BeOS place it at "/boot/beos/etc/hosts"
# On a Netware system, the location is System\etc\hosts"
# For Macintosh (pre OS X) place it in the Mac System Folder or Preferences
#    folder and reboot. (something like HD:System Folder:Preferences:Hosts)
#    Alternatively you can save it elsewhere on your machine, then go to the 
#    TCP/IP control panel and click on "Select hosts file" to read it in.

The file the instructions are referring to:
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts

[elmagicochrisg]

So I download the hosts.txt file. Change the name to hosts. Erase the current hosts file on my computer, and replace it with the new one. Does that sound right?...

[sabrage]

So I download the hosts.txt file. Change the name to hosts. Erase the current hosts file on my computer, and replace it with the new one. Does that sound right?...

No... Just open the hosts file in Notebook (I have no idea what the context menu looks like for Windows 7, which I assume you're using... Right click and it should say something like "Open With") then edit the file manually exactly as the article says. I don't think there's really anything that you could accidently screw up, though I'm sure there's a lot of ways you could destroy your internet access by entering precisely the wrong thing.

[Michi]

So I download the hosts.txt file. Change the name to hosts. Erase the current hosts file on my computer, and replace it with the new one. Does that sound right?...

No... Just open the hosts file in Notebook (I have no idea what the context menu looks like for Windows 7, which I assume you're using... Right click and it should say something like "Open With") then edit the file manually exactly as the article says. I don't think there's really anything that you could accidently screw up, though I'm sure there's a lot of ways you could destroy your internet access by entering precisely the wrong thing.

Well, if elmagicochrisg disappears for a while we'll know why.

[brunoafh]

I don't think there's really anything that you could accidently screw up, though I'm sure there's a lot of ways you could destroy your internet access by entering precisely the wrong thing.

Well, so long as he makes a backup hosts file first, he'll be all good.

[elmagicochrisg]

It worked!... This is fucking awesome!...

Looks like there's no more ads on YouTube. Also tried one of the shocksites (something with lemon) and my browser refused to open the page...

So I guess I did it...

Thanks for the tip Bruno...

Oh yeah, you'll have to run notepad as an administrator, or you won't be able to change the hosts file. I just copy/pasted everything from the downloaded file and put it under the original text in the hosts file on my PC. As far as I can tell, it doesn't matter if I either replace or add the text...

It is rather funny to see some pages having half the page missing and replaced with : This webpage is not available blah blah blah. But I guess that's a small price to pay...

It would be nice if I could replace that text with a picture of my own. Maybe a troll face or something. Now that would be appropriate...