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Thread ID: 86702 2008-01-25 21:52:00 Problems with PC World Forums Thomas01 (317) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
634018 2008-01-28 05:16:00 Hosts has nothing to do with Firefox. The hosts file is a system-wide configuration file that's used to resolve DNS hostnames before querying the DNS server. Erayd (23)
634019 2008-01-28 09:53:00 "The HOSTS file is a text file that contains IP addresses separated by at least once space and then a domain name, with each entry on its own line" (www.bleepingcomputer.com)




Linux/Unix /etc/hosts

Windows 3.1/95/98/ME c:\windows\hosts

Windows NT/2000/XP Pro c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
- or c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Windows XP Home c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Netware SYS:ETC/HOSTS

Apple System Folder:Preferences and in the System Folder itself.
bevy121 (117)
634020 2008-01-28 12:44:00 Potentially Increase Browsing Speed - By adding IP address mappings to sites you use a lot into your HOSTS file you can potentially increase the speed of your browsing. This is because your computer no longer has to ask a DNS server for the IP address and wait to receive it's response, but instead can quickly query a local file. Keep in mind that this method is not advised as there is no guarantee that the IP address you have for that domain name will always stay the same. Therefore if the web site owner decides to change their IP address you will no longer be able to connect. rob_on_guitar (4196)
634021 2008-01-28 19:32:00 Potentially Increase Browsing Speed - By adding IP address mappings to sites you use a lot into your HOSTS file you can potentially increase the speed of your browsing. This is because your computer no longer has to ask a DNS server for the IP address and wait to receive it's response, but instead can quickly query a local file. Keep in mind that this method is not advised as there is no guarantee that the IP address you have for that domain name will always stay the same. Therefore if the web site owner decides to change their IP address you will no longer be able to connect.

Just add a note there, for those who are learning that some antivirus programs will bring up warnings if you change the default entries in your hosts file, as it is a common thing some nasties do
Morgenmuffel (187)
634022 2008-01-29 02:07:00 and for those that may be wondering how that helps with something like (for instance) Inl.Adbureau.net which is making things h-a-n-g for ages, I'll tell you...

By adding a hostname (Inl.Adbureau.net) with an ip number of 127.0.0.1 (which is the ip # designated for your own computer) any requests to Inl.Adbureau.net will be sent to 127.0.0.1 (your computer) resulting in a negative response and making your browser instantly forget about trying to retrieve anything from Inl.Adbureau.net, so doesn't wait about trying to (which is what is causing the 'hang' in the page loading)

The result will be the same for any site using Inl.Adbureau.net - your browser or whatever wont even try to load 1 byte - no matter what OS or Browser you use
bevy121 (117)
634023 2008-01-29 02:11:00 we are currently working on this problem with the company responsible for hosting our ads.

We are also looking to change the way the page loads, ie have content load before ads, to eliminate the problem. I can't make any promises or give you a firm timeline on that though :)
Jan Birkeland (4741)
634024 2008-01-29 02:29:00 well it's only 15 seconds to edit a hosts file - and never see an ad from Inl.Adbureau.net or "hang around waiting for one" again - much prefer that timeline myself :) bevy121 (117)
634025 2008-01-29 02:49:00 we are currently working on this problem with the company responsible for hosting our ads.

We are also looking to change the way the page loads, ie have content load before ads, to eliminate the problem. I can't make any promises or give you a firm timeline on that though :)The easiest way of all would be to put defer="defer" as an attribute for every <script> tag you have on the page. That will defer script execution until after the page has finished loading, and as the ads are loaded via javascript - problem solved. If for whatever reason that doesn't introduce enough delay, run the ad scripts in a setTimeout() thread. End of problem, ads run in a separate thread after the page has loaded with an optional execution delay. No consultation with your ad providers is required.

Let me know if you need assistance, I'd be happy to implement this if it would stop the endless excuses. I'm not saying it's your fault, but it seems that every time something goes wrong on this forum it gets assigned the lowest possible priority to fix, no matter how loud people are yelling.
Erayd (23)
634026 2008-01-29 02:53:00 The easiest way of all would be to put defer="defer" as an attribute for every <script> tag you have on the page . That will defer script execution until after the page has finished loading, and as the ads are loaded via javascript - problem solved . If for whatever reason that doesn't introduce enough delay, run the ad scripts in a setTimeout() thread . End of problem, ads run in a separate thread after the page has loaded with an optional execution delay . No consultation with your ad providers is required .

Let me know if you need assistance, I'd be happy to implement this if it would stop the endless excuses . I'm not saying it's your fault, but it seems that every time something goes wrong on this forum it gets assigned the lowest possible priority to fix, no matter how loud people are yelling .

I will let you know if we need any help . By 'we', I don't mean me . I am in no way responsible for (or capable of) performing the required actions to fix the site .

I am just a messenger, but we are aware of the problem and smarter people than me are working on it .
Jan Birkeland (4741)
634027 2008-01-29 03:01:00 but we are aware of the problem and smarter people than me are working on it

Hehe - hope it's not the same ones that were working on the clock! :eek:

(and finaly was fixed thanks to Chilling_Silence)
bevy121 (117)
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