From: hal9 Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 01:31:48 +0000 (+0000) Subject: Several new Q/A's and other touch ups. X-Git-Tag: v_2_9_14~335 X-Git-Url: http://www.privoxy.org/gitweb/@default-cgi@/faq/%22https:/@default-cgi@show-url-info?a=commitdiff_plain;h=6978284b9f6911ec04aa34da8d2c6f0b1bdefe6b;p=privoxy.git Several new Q/A's and other touch ups. --- diff --git a/doc/source/faq.sgml b/doc/source/faq.sgml index bbbf493e..7f8fa0f1 100644 --- a/doc/source/faq.sgml +++ b/doc/source/faq.sgml @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ This file belongs into ijbswa.sourceforge.net:/home/groups/i/ij/ijbswa/htdocs/ - $Id: faq.sgml,v 1.31 2002/03/26 22:29:55 swa Exp $ + $Id: faq.sgml,v 1.32 2002/03/27 00:57:03 hal9 Exp $ Written by and Copyright (C) 2001 the SourceForge Privoxy team. http://www.privoxy.org/ @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Privoxy Frequently Asked Questions -$Id: faq.sgml,v 1.31 2002/03/26 22:29:55 swa Exp $ +$Id: faq.sgml,v 1.32 2002/03/27 00:57:03 hal9 Exp $ @@ -90,13 +90,14 @@ Please see the Contact section in the copyrighted product of Junkbusters Corporation. Development of this effort stopped some time ago as of version 2.0.2. Stefan Waldherr started the ijbswa project on Sourceforge to rekindle + url="http://sourceforge.net/projects/ijbswa/">Sourceforge to rekindle development. Other developers subsequently joined with Stefan, and have - since added many new features, refinements and enhancements. + since added many new features, refinements and enhancements. The result + of this effort is Privoxy. - The new Privoxy started with the same - Junkbuster code base, but has changed + Privoxy started with the same + Junkbuster 2.0.2 code base, but has advanced significantly at this point. @@ -106,13 +107,16 @@ Please see the Contact section in the Why <quote>Privoxy</quote>? Why a name change at all? - Privoxy is for Privacy Enhancing Proxy. + Privoxy is the + Privacy Enhancing Proxy. + + There are possible legal complications from the continued use of the Junkbuster name, which is a trademark of Junkbusters Corporation. - (There are no objections from Junkbusters Corporation to the - Privoxy project itself though, and they - in fact still share our ideals and goals.) + (There are, however, no objections from Junkbusters Corporation to the + Privoxy project itself, and they, in fact, still + share our ideals and goals.) @@ -125,12 +129,14 @@ Please see the Contact section in the -How does it differ from the old <application>Junkbuster?</application> - - All the old features remain. The new Privoxy - still blocks ads and banners, still manages cookies, and still helps protect - your privacy. But, these are all enhanced, and many new features have been - added, all in the same vein. +How does <application>Privoxy</application> differ +from the old <application>Junkbuster?</application> + + Privoxy picks up where + Junkbuster left off. All the old features remain. + The new Privoxy still blocks ads and banners, + still manages cookies, and still helps protect your privacy. But, these are + all enhanced, and many new features have been added, all in the same vein. The configuration has changed significantly as well. This is something that @@ -277,6 +283,55 @@ Please see the Contact section in the + + +How does <application>Privoxy</application> know what is +an ad, and what is not? + + Privoxy processes all the raw content of every + web page. So it reads everything on each page. It then compares this to the + rules as set up in the configuration files, and looks for any matches to + these rules. Privoxy makes heavy use of + regular expressions. (If you are not familiar with regular + expressions, it is explained briefly in the user manual.) Regular + expressions facilitate matching of one text string against another, using + wildcards to build complex patterns. So Privoxy + will typically look for URLs and other content that match certain key words + and expressions as defined in the configuration files. For instance a URL + that contains /banners, has a high probability of containing + ad banners, and thus would be a prime candidate to have a matching rule. + + + So Privoxy will look for these kinds of obvious + looking culprits. And also, will use lists of known organizations that + specialize in ads. Again, using complex patterns to match as many potential + combinations as possible since there tend to be many, many variations used by + advertisers, and new ones are being introduced all the time. + + + + +Can <application>Privoxy</application> make mistakes? +This does not sound very scientific. + + Actually, it's a black art ;-) And yes, it is always possible to have a broad rule + accidentally block something by mistake. There is a good chance you may run + into such a situation at some point. It is tricky writing rules to cover + every conceivable possibility, and not occasionally get false positives. + + + + But this should not be a big concern since the + Privoxy configuration is very flexible, and + includes tools to help identify these types of situations so they can be + addressed as needed, allowing you to customize your installation. + (See the appendix below.) + + + + + My browser does the same things as <application>Privoxy</application>. Why should I use <application>Privoxy</application> at all? @@ -331,11 +386,12 @@ warranty? Registration? Well, helping the team is always a good idea. We welcome new developers, RPM gurus or documentation makers. Simply get an account on sourceforge.net and mail your id to the developer mailing list. Then read the - section Quickstart in the developers manual. + section Quickstart in the + Developer's Manual. -Once we have added you to the team, you'll have write access to the CVS -repository, and together we'll find a suitable task for you. + Once we have added you to the team, you'll have write access to the CVS + repository, and together we'll find a suitable task for you. @@ -352,7 +408,7 @@ repository, and together we'll find a suitable task for you. Which browsers are supported by <application>Privoxy</application>? Any browser that can be configured to use a proxy, which - is probably almost all browsers. Direct browser support is not necessary + should be virtually all browsers. Direct browser support is not necessary since Privoxy runs as a separate application and just exchanges standard HTML data with your browser. @@ -382,10 +438,14 @@ repository, and together we'll find a suitable task for you. See the user-manual for + url="../user-manual/index.html">user-manual for platform specific installation instructions. [FIXME: This is meant for after the name change for 3.0!] + + Note: Some installers may automatically uninstall + Junkbuster, if present! + @@ -397,6 +457,8 @@ special I have to do now? All browsers must be told to use Privoxy as a proxy by specifying the correct proxy address and port number in the appropriate configuration area for the browser. See below. + Also, you should flush your browser's memory and disk cache to get rid of any + cached items. @@ -731,7 +793,7 @@ Note that normally only local users can connect to Privoxy -What is a <quote>default.filter</quote>? +What is <quote>default.filter</quote>? The default.filter file is used to filter any web page content. By filtering we mean it can modify, remove, @@ -787,9 +849,10 @@ Note that normally only local users can connect to Privoxy This is a configuration option for images that Privoxy is stopping. You have the choice a checkerboard + the --> of a checkerboard pattern, a transparent 1x1 GIF image (aka blank), or a custom - URL or your choice. + URL of your choice. Note that to fit this category, the URL must match both + the +image and +block actions. @@ -798,7 +861,9 @@ Note that normally only local users can connect to PrivoxyEdit Actions List selection at http://p.p/. Or by hand editing the appropriate actions file. This will only effect what is defined as images - though. + though. Also, any URLs that generate the bright red Blocked + banner, can be moved to the +image-blocker section for the + same reason. @@ -819,23 +884,43 @@ Note that normally only local users can connect to Privoxy I see large red banners on some pages that say -<quote>Blocked</quote>. How do I get rid of this? +Blocked. Why and how do I get rid of this? These are URLs that match something in one of Privoxy's block actions (+block). It is meant to be a warning so that you know something has been blocked and an easy way for you to see why. These are handled differently than what has been defined - as images (e.g. ad banners). If you want them to be treated - as if they were images, so that they can be made invisible, then move the - offending URL from the +block section to the - +imageblock section of your actions file. Alternately, you - could modify the block HTML template that - is used by Privoxy to display this, and make it - something more to your liking. + explicitly as images (e.g. ad banners). Depending on the + URL itself, it is sometimes hard for Privoxy to + really know whether it is indeed an ad image or not. + + + + If you want them to be treated as if they were images, so that they can be + made invisible, then move the offending URL from the +block + section to the +imageblock section of your actions file. Just + be forewarned, if make any URL is made invisible, you may not + have any inkling that something has been removed from that page. + + + Alternately, you could modify the block + HTML template that is used by Privoxy to display + this, and make it something more to your liking. + +I cannot see all of the <quote>Blocked</quote> page banner. All I +see is a bright red square. + + There is not enough space to fit the entire page. Try right clicking on the + visible, red portion, and select Show Frame, or equivalent. + This will usually allow you to see the entire Privoxy Blocked + page, and from there you can see just what is being blocked, and why. + + + How can I make <application>Privoxy</application> work with other proxies like <application>Squid</application>? @@ -1073,7 +1158,7 @@ speed up web browsing? No, it does not have this ability at all. You want something like Squid for this. And, yes, before you ask, Privoxy can co-exist - with other kinds of proxies like Squid. + with other kinds of proxies like Squid. @@ -1109,7 +1194,7 @@ Given the above problem, we have decided to remove the logo option entirely I have large empty spaces now where ads used to be. -Why does <application>Privoxy</application> leave these large gaps? +Why? It would be easy enough to just eliminate this space altogether, rather than fill it with blank space. But, this would create problems with many pages @@ -1145,11 +1230,12 @@ secure is it? Do I need to take any special precautions? Privoxy can run as a non-privileged user, which is how we recommend it be run. Also, by default Privoxy only listens to requests - from localhost. It is not itself directly exposed to the + from localhost. The server aspect of + Privoxy is not itself directly exposed to the Internet in this configuration. If you want to have Privoxy serve as a LAN proxy, this will have to be opened up to allow for LAN requests. In this case, we'd recommend - you specify only the LAN gateway address, e.g. 192.168.1.1 in the main + you specify only the LAN gateway address, e.g. 192.168.1.1, in the main Privoxy config file. All LAN hosts can then use this as their proxy address in the browser proxy configuration. In this way, Privoxy will not listen on any external ports. @@ -1241,8 +1327,8 @@ What can I do? sign) in front of them. Add your problem page URL to one of these sections that looks like it is disabling the feature that is causing the problem. Re-try the page. There might be some trial and error involved. This - is discussed in a little more detail in the user-manual + is discussed in a little more detail in the + user-manual appendix. @@ -1254,6 +1340,17 @@ What can I do? + +Where and how do I submit bug reports? Feature Requests? Etc? + + Feedback is encouraged, whether good, bad or ugly. Please see the contact + page in the user-manual for + details. + + + + + What time is it? @@ -1288,13 +1385,19 @@ This is referenced in the doc header already. HB 03/25/02 --> Copyright and History -Please see the user manual for information on Copyright and History. + + Please see the +user-manual for + information on Copyright and History. See also -Please see the user manual for information on references. + + Please see the + user-manual for + others references. @@ -1323,6 +1426,9 @@ This is referenced in the doc header already. HB 03/25/02 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. $Log: faq.sgml,v $ +Revision 1.32 2002/03/27 00:57:03 hal9 +Touch ups for name change. + Revision 1.31 2002/03/26 22:29:55 swa we have a new homepage!