K-Meleon is sure a lot faster than IE. However I was just wondering if there is a way to make K even faster by configuring it to be able to use hosts file. IE automatically reads my hosts file, how can I get k to do it. Is it possible?

Grummy,

How are you using your Hosts file? For ad-blocking?

Andrew

K-Meleon should read your hosts file anyway if the file is present in C:\Windows and you are not using a proxy. If you are using a proxy, the hosts file should be on the server machine or you should use direct Internet connection if you can.

However, there seems to be a Mozilla-based problem that any time when K-Meleon using a hosts file meets a hosts-blocked object embedded on an allowed web page, it returns a notice window which can be turned off only by clicking OK. (Gets pretty annoying when a webpage is loaded with ads - one notice per each ad!)

If you cannot use direct Internet connection instead of a proxy, you may get your hands on the old free version of Outpost firewall (which I am using for ad-blocking - quite configurable and similar to hosts file) - a good firewall which has now gone shareware. There is also a program called eDexter. I haven't used it myself but I've heard it may also be of help in those matters.

http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/eDexter.html

I am using the hosts files for a duel purpose. Ad-blocking is accomplished by a 9000 list of common ad sites but with the address changed to 127.0.0.1 Don't use any proxies and I'm on a direct dialup connection. The other way I use hosts is for speed with all my favorites added to the hosts with their real address resolved. It seens when I use k-Meleon the ad blocking is not working as it does under IE. My first entry in the hosts file is Localhosts 127.0.0.1. Could be k is reading my host entries which are for speed up, but the ads are not sent back to 127.0.0.1 and therefor open as normal. With IE the ads end up as empty white boxes on the page.

I use eDexter.
It's a small server that acts on calls to 127.0.0.1 (your localhost) and sends a single pixel gif (might be double pixel - small anyway) whenever a call is made to an ad server listed in your hosts file. So, you don't receive the ad and the page you're on is satisfied that the request has been answered (no "error" messages). All that appears is the small blue gif. Plus, the ad servers have no way of knowing you've circumvented them. There was talk last year of a German firm threatening to penalize web surfers who "washed" their ads. Pfft.
BTW, eDexter's home page keeps an updated list of ad servers to add to your hosts file.
Works well. Just don't run it at the same time you run any other http server - for obvious reasons.

Grummy,

are you sure that you are not using your ISP's proxy services? (Check under Edit - Preferences in K-Meleon).

In my case, hosts file worked "too well" for K-Meleon under Win98SE, as I had to click on all those notices - ads were correctly prevented because of the hosts file, though. Maybe it's different in some other versions of Windows? (like 2000, NT, XP???)

According to my experience, if you have a hosts file in your C:\Windows and you are not using any kind of proxy with your browser, the hosts file definitely works. It is Windows-specific, not browser-specific. And if the hosts file works, all correct entries therein must work too, both ad-blocking and favourites. If you have just renewed your hosts file, you need to reboot.

BTW, there is an app called Hostess for better editing of the hosts file. There is also a good hosts file update/download site at http://www.smartin-designs.com/ but you probably knew that

andres, it was thr rebooting which did the trick, I had forgotten I had edited the hosts files and that re-boot fix the problem. BTW, I looked in the Pref. of K and no proxis show. My add blocking is accompliched by making my computor the proxie server, therefor ouside proxie are not necessary. If you would like info on this got to : http://www.smartin-designs.com/hosts_info.htm

Thank you for the reboot idea.

Using hosts for speeding browsing in an analog modem environment worked pretty well for me.
No being on ADSL, my hosts file is old and I didn't update it anymore.
So I have sometimes a side effect, that when an URL changes for a site I visit, the entry in hosts isn't valid anymore and I get a connection error problem.

So be adviced to update your hosts file at regular intervals.

Bernard