Opera 'Jor'nal

I am not updating this blog.

Updates can be found at my Livejournal or my Twitter.

Long time no update.

Decided it was high time I share my ad block rules again: download

It is a combination of a list of known spyware and ad servers, and some ad rules I've been revising since Opera has had ad blocking...


Also got a slightly newer version of fastforward.ini up: download

Update for AdBlocker.css is up, with thanks to M.Niess (<http://blog.yumdap.net/archives/30-My-recent-Opera-tweaks.html>).

As usual get it from <http://members.chello.nl/b.kroonspecker/opera/styles/user/AdBlocker.css>

I have rewritten my wired script (previous post) so it works on all sites. Get it at my site: http://members.chello.nl/b.kroonspecker/opera/userjs

Background: Fast forward doesn't seem to work whenever a hyperlink contains HTML immediately following the opening tag. Fastforward doesn't seem to be able to recognise the "next" keywords from fastforward.ini on those sites, I guess it only looks at the immediate containing tag. This script checks all links for the word next, and if it finds it it writes a <link> tag with rel="next" for them. This causes FF to work as it should.

If you have already downloaded it, remove fix-wired.js: this script does the same work. I will not be updating fix-wired.js.

//Update: link changed. See next post for two more userJS files.

I just completed my first userJS file: add-next.js

Get it at my Opera files site, at <http://userjs.org/>, or directly: <http://members.chello.nl/b.kroonspecker/opera/userjs/add-next.js>

What this script does, is check if a linked image without an alt attribute has a filename containing "next", and if this is the case, add alt="next" to the image. This then allows FastForward to use the image link as a "next" link.

I wrote it mainly because I read a lot of webcomics, and several of them are otherwise not FF-compatible. Examples are 'Schlock Mercenary' (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/) and 'Real Life (http://www.reallifecomics.com/): both of these, and several others, now work.

There is a little oddity to the script, in that FF will not immediately work: it can take a little while (1 or 2 seconds in my testing) before FF becomes enabled. I don't know how to fix that. You can usually force it to work by pressing back, then next. (z x if you use the keyboard.)

Hope you like it!

I recommend also enabling 'Always Load User JavaScript=1' in the '[User Prefs]' section of Opera6.ini, as otherwise it will not always work.

If you're new to userJS, read <http://userjs.org/help/installation> before downloading please.

Just a note: I welcome feedback about my ad blocking CSS file and filter.ini.

Since this is my primary method for ad blocking on a daily notice I will attempt to block all ads I come across, but the websites I visit are probably not the same ones you visit daily. Therefore if you see intrusive ads on a website please drop a note either at this journal or at my e-mail address, so I have a chance of trying to fix it.

Another quick update: I removed two parser errors. The file validates and works now.

This is how I normally use Opera:

Two toolbars always open:
*pagebar set to always visible, with 'new' button (renamed to just new), and the trashcan
*addressbar, with the following buttons from ltr:
rewind, back, reload/stop, forward, fast forward, address field, go button, view button
rewind, back, forward, ff have hidden dropdowns for their menus. Reload has the reload menu as a hidden dropdown, go has the go menu as a hidden dropdown.

Both are on the bottom of the viewport.

Three sometimes visible toolbars:
*view bar, containing the default fields
*start bar, with the search fields removed
*navigation bar, set to show when needed

View bar is on the bottom (shows just above the addressbar), navbar on the top.

Hotlist is to the right, panel selector to the ultimate right. By default it is closed, with the panel toggle always visible.


I have GIF animation disabled by default, as well as sound in web pages (except when testing voice).
Java and plug-ins are usually left enabled. Alas Javascript must these days always be enabled, but I toggle it off sometimes. I don't block cookies or referers.
Opera IDs as itself, always.

Besides my main user CSS file, I have three user stylesheets always active:
*Mark links with targets: this one changes the mouse cursor for links with a target. Gives away if they open in a new window, or are Javascript links.
*Improve quotes display: gives me nicer and language correct quotes (so «» for French etc.)
*AdBlocker.css

Others are toggled whenever I need them or want to use them. I browse in author mode by default.

Unwanted pop-ups are sent to the trashcan.

I've uploaded an update for AdBlocker.css. It is about half the size of the previous one because I took out all declarations which never worked anyway, but I actually added some rules: since CSS can be case sensitive all items which checked for name now check for various capitalized spellings as well. Catches quite a few more ads.

Starting now I'll also include a 'revision' statement in the file, as well as a note on its length.

Get it at <http://members.chello.nl/b.kroonspecker/opera/styles/user/AdBlocker.css>

I have updated AdBlocker.css and filter.ini finally.

Get them at http://members.chello.nl/b.kroonspecker/opera/


Setups are gone, as I actually use a close-to-default setup. Once Opera 8 is out I will re-do the mouse setup at least, and possibly also the keyboard setup.

For now get the old versions from my.opera.com if you want them.