Advice Request Cannot block popup in uBo

[n8chavez]

For me everything is blocked and the site is crystal clear. But well, you got the rules working for you so it doesn't matter anyway. Just thought it might help you.

No, thank you very much! It's a good day when you learn something new. Conversations like this are valuable to me.

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

I am using AdGuard now and for fun I switched with BulletVPN to New York to Phoenix Arizona Sports, but with some User Rules (mostly Dutch websites) and my Kees1958 (link) list only, I am not seeing the popup.

Spoiler: Less than 5000 rules

 

[Trooper]

FWIW, I am using uBO and NextDNS. No popup on that site.

@Kees1958 How is the AdGuard extension working out for you compared to uBO?

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

FWIW, I am using uBO and NextDNS. No popup on that site.

@Kees1958 How is the AdGuard extension working out for you compared to uBO?

Some initial explanation.

Ghostery did a study on Adblocker efficiency after Google published Mv3. In those studies uBO processed the rules the fastest of them all (considering the amount of rules uBO has enabled in default mode). uBO's first launch in which the filters were read and re-ordered for effective access took way longer than any other adblock extension. Gorhill responded by compressing the blocklists and caching the optimized and re-ordered filter set (only re-creating it for updates).

Because I only use 5000+ rules and update my list a few times per year, uBlock initialized blazing fast (small list with few updates means it could use the cache). When I hit Shift Esc uBO only has used a second (probably less) while other extensions used up to 3 seconds CPU time to initialize. That said the new AGv4 uses only 1/3 of initializing CPU time and 2/3 of processing time (when opening a fixed sequence of websites). Still old uBO is a fraction faster than AGv4 when doing this comparative performance test. Because most is done in parallel after browser start when systems idles waiting for your response, the speed difference in practice is not noticeable anymore (now less than 0.2 seconds).

When people use default uBO (with way to much useless malware blocklists) and compare it with AGv4 optimized, my guess is that AGv4 default optimized will have a slight performance advantage over uBO default. In terms of blocking experience (as @SeriousHoax has posted a few times), the AG (optimized) blocklists work better on AGv4 than uBO with default blocklists, the new and improved modifiers of the new rules engine will improve this (clean web experience) advantage even more.

As posted in the AGv4 thread (link) the main advantage of AGv4 for me is that it is ManifestV3 ready. But you know me. I have a history of switching between uBO and AG, but at the moment I prefer AGv4 over uBO.

 

[n8chavez]

! 2022-02-21 https://www.azcentral.com ||cm.azcentral.com/overlay/entrance/021422_presidentsday_entrance$subdocument www.azcentral.com##.gnt_mol_oy

This is weird. With these rules ^ the popup is not shown, but I am unable to scroll the page at all; it's like the site locks up. Without them everything is fine (except I still get the popup). Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Kongo]

! 2022-02-21 https://www.azcentral.com ||cm.azcentral.com/overlay/entrance/021422_presidentsday_entrance$subdocument www.azcentral.com##.gnt_mol_oy

This is weird. With these rules ^ the popup is not shown, but I am unable to scroll the page at all; it's like the site locks up. Without them everything is fine (except I still get the popup). Anyone else have this issue?

Works well on edge.

 

[n8chavez]

Works well on edge.

Really? What the....? It's very odd. After about 2 seconds I can no longer scroll up or down. I even deleted the filter myself, and recreated them with picker, and I have the same issue.

 

[Kongo]

Really? What the....? It's very odd. After about 2 seconds I can no longer scroll up or down. I even deleted the filter myself, and recreated them with picker, and I have the same issue.

There were multiple filters mentioned above that can handle the popup. Why don't you add one if the site is quite important to you?

 

[n8chavez]

There were multiple filters mentioned above that can handle the popup. Why don't you add one if the site is quite important to you?

I've added them all, and responded to each suggestion. None of them worked correctly.

 

[Kongo]

I've added them all, and responded to each suggestion. None of them worked correctly.

Tried on Firefox now and installed uBlock Origin. No problem either.

The rules differ a little from the ones you are using:

! 2022-02-24 https://www.azcentral.com
||cm.azcentral.com/overlay/exit/021422_presidentsday_exit_reg$subdocument
www.azcentral.com##.gnt_mol_xb

No idea if it makes a difference tho..

 

[n8chavez]

Tried on Firefox now and installed uBlock Origin. No problem either.

The rules differ a little from the ones you are using:

! 2022-02-24 https://www.azcentral.com
||cm.azcentral.com/overlay/exit/021422_presidentsday_exit_reg$subdocument
www.azcentral.com##.gnt_mol_xb

No idea if it makes a difference tho..

Well, I give up! Even with these I'm unable to scroll up or down after 2 seconds!

 

[Kongo]

Well, I give up! Even with these I'm unable to scroll up or down after 2 seconds!

And AdGuard Annoyance Filter doesn't work either? It's really strange that no filter seems to work for you while others are using the same ruleset without any problems... AdGuard Annoyance Filter is blocking it too. If that doesn't work either then I can't think of anything else.

 

[n8chavez]

And AdGuard Annoyance Filter doesn't work either? It's really strange that no filter seems to work for you while others are using the same ruleset without any problems... AdGuard Annoyance Filter is blocking it too. If that doesn't work either then I can't think of anything else.

Correct. It does not. I have that enabled, as well as fanboy's annoyance filter, and it doesn't block it. This is why I'm frustrated. At this point it's more of battle of wills, asz opposed to a mere annoyance.

 

[Kongo]

Correct. It does not. I have that enabled, as well as fanboy's annoyance filter, and it doesn't block it. This is why I'm frustrated. At this point it's more of battle of wills, asz opposed to a mere annoyance.

Funny thing is that even Edge's built in tracking protection blocks it.

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

@n8chavez

Probably either you use to many blocklist (conflicting rules) or hard mode triggers a first party popup (just to annoy because you block so mucjh).

 

[n8chavez]

@n8chavez

Probably either you use to many blocklist (conflicting rules) or hard mode triggers a first party popup (just to annoy because you block so mucjh).

I don't think that's it. I've used the same filters in uBo and Adguard for Windows and got different results from both; uBo didn't block the popup whereas AG did. I must have something to do with uBo's advanced mode filtering.

 

[ForgottenSeer 92963]

I don't think that's it. I've used the same filters in uBo and Adguard for Windows and got different results from both; uBo didn't block the popup whereas AG did. I must have something to do with uBo's advanced mode filtering.

That is what I posted hard mode (third-party blocking) blocks something which triggers a popup. Also using to many filters can also be the reason for popups coming through, simply because the rules work counter productive. I know of a few websites where you will get a popunder when either an XMLHTTPrequest is blocked or a cookie can't be set. That is why AdGuard for instance sets an allow rule for that website and uses an advanced rule to fool that website into thinking the user has used an introduction coupon to see some paid content for free and don't get any advertisements. Easylist on the other hand tries to block the network which pushes the ad and tries to hide the popup. When I remove the allow rule for that website (with badfilter option) the pop-under sneaks through. The combination of using many blocklists with advanced (3p) blocking, might have the same effect*.

That said I am wondering why you use so many filters when you use advanced mode? Third-party scripts/frames are blocked anyway no need for so many blocklists.


* PS.
I don't have the link anymore, but I remember a Brave blog explaining why using many filters with many rules was a bad idea. Maybe some other forum members recall this Brave blog post also to convince you that it is not just my opinion, but that idea is shared broadly by adblock builders (except Gorhill ), why would Fanboy (employed by Brave) spend 1.5 year to clean up Easylists block lists, why would AdGuard provide optimized filters? Why do the EFF (Privacy Badger), Ghostery, Disconnect, Microsoft (Edge), Firefox, StartPage extension all opted for small blocklists (focussing on ad & tracking networks). I am not the only one advocating this.