URL-blocking for one?

[mattlistener]

Hey all -- what would be a tool one could use to block a user-specified list of URLs in a given browser? I've been searching and just come up with a) enterprise stuff, and b) commercial content-filtering packages in the $50 range.

Solutions for both IE on Windows XP and Safari/Firefox on OSX would be relevant and useful. Thanks...

Comments

[zmook.livejournal.com]

You mean for an ad-blocker, or for actual content-filtering? Is this just for you, or do you mean to support it at work?

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

I want to block a user-specified list of URLs. So if I entered "foo.com" in the tool, then no URLs with "foo.com" in them would load. Just for personal use.

Any ideas?

[zmook.livejournal.com]

The crudest way is to map those domains to 127.0.0.1 in /etc/hosts.

If you want to block actual urls and not entire domains, you need something else, though. Would Firefox AdBlock work? It says:

Once installed, it's a snap to filter elements at their source-address. Just right-click: Adblock: done. Filters use either the wildcard character (*) or full Regular Expression syntax. Hit the status-element and see what has or hasn't been blocked.

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

Aha! AdBlock supports site-blocking, and it can in fact block specific URLs on a site instead of the entire site, which fills the bill. Thanks.