I like to use older and slower hardware to browse the web, etc. These machines have no problems doing this job normally, so theres no reason to replace them and add them to landfills. Just install your Linux distro of choice on them and you are ready to surf (virus free, I might add).

However, there is one thing I have found to consistently detract from my browsing experience on such machines: Flash Ads

These awful and useless pieces of marketing usually waste a huge amount of processing power on nothing.  Often I will see them playing animations and things while they burn through almost 90% of CPU power.  It’s sad even to imagine how much electricy they waste in causing the processor to run at such a high load.  Yikes, just imagine that number multiplied by all the people in the world browsing to sites that use Flash Ads.

Well, if you’re like me and you think enough is enough. Here is how you can block them on your browser.

You must be using Firefox.  (If you are not already using Firefox, you should start using it immediatly.  Firefox is one of the most secure browsers.)

Install the extension: Ad Block Plus

Once it is installed, you need to add a filter for Flash.  Click on Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions -> Preferences -> Add Filter -> *.swf -> OK

This will block ALL flash content.  Obviosly, you can fine tune this to only block certain really annoying sites, etc.