The El Capitan/Safari 9 Content Blocker Thread

[hwojtek]

Huh, I can't reproduce it. Which exact OS X version do you use?

10.11.2, a bleeding edge current version of OS X. Here's the video:

Could you please tell me why do you need a daemon process? We were thinking about implementing it when we were starting OS X version development, but in the end we've chosen the current way just because we had not found enough pros for daemon.

My use case may be slightly different from regular, I have over 30 devices accessing the internet, but live in the middle of the woods and my only connection is a LTE link with 100 GB transfer cap. I therefore use an array of means to cut the usage, including a heavily tuned caching proxy, extensive blacklists on host file level on my router and ad blocking.
A daemon process would allow me to streamline the workflow - I do not ever need to log on to my Mini server (pictured above) which runs my servers (SQL, Mail, Web, Media, Squid caching proxy etc). In case of a catastrophic failure it would just restart and continue to work as intended, the daemons would just start providing the services. And I never do log on to a server directly. It's on the login screen permanently, does not have a monitor attached to it, I actually had to install something that would fool the system into thinking there is a monitor connected in order to record the video.

A software that starts running after logging on does not have these qualities, obviously. Yes, I could log in manually (or use automatic login) to the server and then lock the screen, but this is at least cumbersome (not to mention I would NOT allow my server that holds 19 years worth of my email to autostart and auto log in).

 

[avatar-adg]

@hwojtek

Thank you for the video, I've filed a bug report:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardForMac/issues/44

My use case may be slightly different from regular, I have over 30 devices accessing the internet, but live in the middle of the woods and my only connection is a LTE link with 100 GB transfer cap.

Now I see, thank you. It seems that what you need is some kind of a server-side Adguard solution.

Currently we simply don't provide such product. It is possible in future, but it's likely to be based on AG for Android code as it's written in java, so it is cross-platform.

 

[avatar-adg]

@hwojtek the issue #44 happens because you've entered invalid email so it does not allow to get focus from email field until you enter valid email there.

 

[hwojtek]

OK, cool. I just though this is a "SUBJECT" line, not e-mail address, that wasn't obvious.

 

[avatar-adg]

OK, cool. I just though this is a "SUBJECT" line, not e-mail address, that wasn't obvious.

Yep, placeholder is missing (and this is a bug indeed).

 

[avatar-adg]

Meanwhile we've released one more beta version:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/releases/tag/v2.1.2

A couple of bugs fixed, some of them were pretty nasty: https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/issues/124

So, if nothing critical happens in the next 2-3 days, we'll finally push it to Safari Extensions gallery.

 

[Weaselboy]

Meanwhile we've released one more beta version:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/releases/tag/v2.1.2

A couple of bugs fixed, some of them were pretty nasty: https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/issues/124

So, if nothing critical happens in the next 2-3 days, we'll finally push it to Safari Extensions gallery.

Thanks for the update. Can you clarify the difference between these two? Is one the "content blocker" and the other the old Extension style perhaps?

 

[avatar-adg]

Thanks for the update. Can you clarify the difference between these two? Is one the "content blocker" and the other the old Extension style perhaps?

First one is a release build, prepared for Safari gallery.

 

[fisherking]

adguard (updated) is consistently working better for me than adblock, or ublock. thanx!

 

[nmeed]

Meanwhile we've released one more beta version:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/releases/tag/v2.1.2

A couple of bugs fixed, some of them were pretty nasty: https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/issues/124

So, if nothing critical happens in the next 2-3 days, we'll finally push it to Safari Extensions gallery.

Videos on espn.com don't play... after I click on the play button I just get a grey box with the circle loop. I've removed Adguard and it plays fine. I tried about every adblocker for Safari and they all suffered the same problem except for Adament oddly enough. If you could please fix this that would be fantastic.

 

[avatar-adg]

Videos on espn.com don't play... after I click on the play button I just get a grey box with the circle loop. I've removed Adguard and it plays fine. I tried about every adblocker for Safari and they all suffered the same problem except for Adament oddly enough. If you could please fix this that would be fantastic.

Ops, sorry for the delay, we'll fix it asap:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/ExperimentalFilter/issues/1341

 

[nmeed]

Ops, sorry for the delay, we'll fix it asap:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/ExperimentalFilter/issues/1341

I'm still using Adguard, even though I like to start off my days with videos on ESPN. Your support really is unparalleled. And after literally trying every ad blocker I could get my hands on, it just confirmed what I already knew, which is Adguard is the best. Best for iOS too. Thank you.

 

[avatar-adg]

@nmeed, espn issue was reported to be fixed on github. Could you please check it (don't forget to check filter updates before).

 

[nmeed]

@nmeed, espn issue was reported to be fixed on github. Could you please check it (don't forget to check filter updates before).

They seem to be working just fine now, thank you!

 

[duckson]

New to OSX and Safari on Mac, been using the Adguard blocker and it seems very good.

Found a problem though (its ok with Adguard disabled) with Youtube;
If i'm playing a song on youtube but i'm viewing a different tab than youtube it won't play the next song, the song name changes in the tab but it doesn't play until i go back to the youtube tab then it starts automatically.
As i said, with Adguard disabled it works fine so it must be an Adguard fault?

Is this known about or is there anything i can report/look at?
(this is on Macbook Retina 12", El Capitan, Safari 9.0.3 (11601.4.4), Adguard 2.0.16).

EDIT
Ah seems i'm not alone, post on the Adguard forum with the same issue from June 2015.

Take it Safari 9 also has this problem?
Is Adguard for Mac as slick as the extension for Safari?

 

[Bbeelzebub]

@avatar-adg Is there something different between your implementation of EasyList and ABP or Ublocks?

With it enabled on AdGuard, it does block some sites that it doesn't with ABP or UBlock.

 

[Fofer]

Yep, that's a problem we can't solve by ourselves. You see, Safari does not provide any feedback mechanism so extension does not know what is blocked. That's why our "filtering log" is disabled in Safari version.

I've requested this feature back in Novemeber in webkit-help, but it seems nobody reads that mailing list.

So I have just filed a feature request in the bugzilla:
https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=152598

Please vote for this request there if you want it to be implemented

Thanks for the information on this... I am trying out 2.1.2 and the very first thing I noticed was the disappearance of the "Indicate the number of blocked ads on the Adguard extension icon" checkbox. That badge, and the "filtering log" feature, were the only ways I am able to troubleshoot sites when adblocking goes wrong. I have been using Adguard for a bit and have really appreciated that indication and that tool.

So, until this is fixed in Safari/webkit, does this mean upgrading to AdGuard 2.1.2 will remove it entirely? If so, that's very disappointing -- the "filtering log" in particular was one of Adguard's best and most unique strengths. I understand Safari's content blocker API is better/faster in some way, but if it also removes the ability for the use to examine (and potentially whitelist) what content is being blocked, it feels like a step backwards, especially for power users.

 

[FreemanW]

Huh, I've been using AdBlock 2.40.1, Trafficlight 0.2.22, Ghostery 5.4.8.1, and Bitdeffender 1.9 Antiphishing for Safari.

I have been satisfied with those prophylaxis tools.

 

[avatar-adg]

Found a problem though (its ok with Adguard disabled) with Youtube;
If i'm playing a song on youtube but i'm viewing a different tab than youtube it won't play the next song, the song name changes in the tab but it doesn't play until i go back to the youtube tab then it starts automatically.
As i said, with Adguard disabled it works fine so it must be an Adguard fault?

It is Adguard's fault indeed. The problem is caused by the way AG blocks youtube ads. It involves using a complicated script specially for YT.

We'll fix this, but it will take some time:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/issues/142
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@avatar-adg Is there something different between your implementation of EasyList and ABP or Ublocks?

With it enabled on AdGuard, it does block some sites that it doesn't with ABP or UBlock.

Depends on the version of Adguard you use.

If you are talking about the beta version, then yes, it is different. Content blocker API does not provide the same capabilities, so we can loose some rules while converting EasyList to a content blocker.

Which sites exactly are you talking about? We'd better take a look at it and see if it can be fixed.
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Thanks for the information on this... I am trying out 2.1.2 and the very first thing I noticed was the disappearance of the "Indicate the number of blocked ads on the Adguard extension icon" checkbox. That badge, and the "filtering log" feature, were the only ways I am able to troubleshoot sites when adblocking goes wrong. I have been using Adguard for a bit and have really appreciated that indication and that tool.

Then please vote for this feature request:
https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=152598

So, until this is fixed in Safari/webkit, does this mean upgrading to AdGuard 2.1.2 will remove it entirely?

Yep, it does.

If so, that's very disappointing -- the "filtering log" in particular was one of Adguard's best and most unique strengths. I understand Safari's content blocker API is better/faster in some way, but if it also removes the ability for the use to examine (and potentially whitelist) what content is being blocked, it feels like a step backwards, especially for power users.

Anyway, the old API is deprecated now and they are going to disable it in one of the future Safari versions.

We'll think about a separate build with an old API or, maybe, a setting for switching to the old API (but, if I remember it right, we can't change this behavior without rebuilding extension):
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/issues/143

 

[Bbeelzebub]

FYI- A few new content blockers have appeared in the extension gallery this week:


Nope (different from IOS content blocker called Nope) - https://safari-extensions.apple.com/details/?id=co.kaishin.nope-5G38N4D8G2

Angel - https://safari-extensions.apple.com/details/?id=com.artificialapps.angel-LMG5E8V866

Light Ad Blocker - https://safari-extensions.apple.com/details/?id=io.macdaddy.freedomfries-8G7S5244GJ

Adblock Ultimate - https://safari-extensions.apple.com/details/?id=net.adblockultimate.adblockultimatesafari-TG54C588MZ

Hide and Seek (This one blocks google and Bing specifically from tracking you while being able to stay logged into their services) - https://safari-extensions.apple.com/details/?id=net.roopc.hideandseekformac-R2NV2FHE22

I'm sticking with AdGuard because it just seems to work the best and offers the best combo of blocking and speed.
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Which sites exactly are you talking about? We'd better take a look at it and see if it can be fixed.
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Pretty much any "adult" site. Completely blanks them out and shows blank page with EasyList on.

 

[avatar-adg]

Pretty much any "adult" site. Completely blanks them out and shows blank page with EasyList on.

I suppose you're talking about this issue:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/issues/145

Will be resolved in the next beta version tomorrow.

 

[avatar-adg]

Here is one more AG update: v.2.13 RC:
https://github.com/AdguardTeam/AdguardBrowserExtension/releases/tag/v.2.1.3

We've decided to add a setting allowing switching back from Content Blocker to an old API. Some users lack filtering log and blocked items counter.

However, this old API is deprecated and will be dropped in one of the future Safari versions. I hope they will improve new API by that time.

@Bbeelzebub the issue you've mentioned is fixed in this new version.

 

[duckson]

If I switch to the old API is the YouTube problem with not playing the next song if you aren't on the tab an issue still?

I'm using the desktop Adguard at the moment but really just want a Safari specific blocker.

 

[avatar-adg]

If I switch to the old API is the YouTube problem with not playing the next song if you aren't on the tab an issue still?

No, the issue is still present for both new and old api.

 

[duckson]

No, the issue is still present for both new and old api.

Ah bugger, never mind! Any ideas when (date roughly) it will be fixed, its in the 2.2 drop?