No problems here, using MVPS Hosts file http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm no need for adblock plugins slowing your browser down, this stops all comms from/to your computer connecting with any bad sites ( browser/messenger/even malware on your computer trying to phone home ), links within a site page from third parties which have their dns address in the hosts file also get blocked....
Updated a few days ago. You need to manually update it once per month (I use the linked HostsXpert utility to update), and as the month progresses it slowly becomes more out of date (malware links shift around fast), but the guys updating it do a pretty good job and mind their P's and Q's legally so they do not break anything un-necessarily.
Some people dont like it because they believe it can be used for malware purposes, yes it can but now you are aware of it its one place that will be getting checked by yourself you would not have checked before. Others say it slows down their internet experience, well not as much as a browser full of clunky homebrew plugins in my experience. See notes on DNS client for different OS's.
As for Browser choice - Google chrome has sandboxed tabs/processes, if you want a de-googled version http://www.srware.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=18
Iron, like the newer dev versions of Chrome has in the options a Content manager, after installing go there and block everything, Images/cookies/javascript etc etc. First time you visit a site, in the address bar a little icon pops up for the element that has been blocked. You can click it and choose whether to allow and make an exception for that site.
Which can be later revoked in the same setting Exception button.
Bit of a pain initially, but its like an email client spam filter for browsers, block everything as spam initially then teach your browser which sites you consider to be trustworthy of allowing those elements.
You are still vulnerable to what you allow to download of course, the usual first time file uploader claiming their mod installer to be something else, just treat as potentially radioactive and handle with tongs in a fallout shelter
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