K3DAV,

 

Nice find .... on behalf of IE8 users ..... thanks for the post.

 

Now, if only the mods would stop telling people (who complain about the ads) that there is nothing that can be done (because the ads are an integral part of Hotmail).

 

Microsoft will never do anything about the ads on the right (no matter how many complaints they receive .... people have been complaining since December 2008).

 

However, there is DEFINITELY something that can be done (by the customer) to remove the ads .... all it takes is the simple installation of a browser add-on tool (like the one you described for IE8).

@ LANGWARE

The mods are robots.  Only the product team can reprogram them, and they have all been fired. So it looks like the mods are stuck in their rut forever.

In the "Getting Rid Of Advertisements On My Hotmail Page" thread, someone just left a new complaint about hating the disgusting ads, and guess what the reply was?  A mod telling them how to do a screen shot and send it to them.

These idiots are hopeless.  They will never change.  I doubt that many of them even speak English.  They see a key word and search it for a file that tells them what to do next.  And that is usually just a copy and paste from the PDF file.  The mods probably don't even know what it says.  They just COPY, PASTE, & SEND.  That's all they know how to do.

Or maybe there's just 1 mod answering every body with several fake names.  That could very well be the case.  After all, that many mods can't all be that pathetic.  Can they?

@SHA80

I really don´t know, sorry.  But you could try the things langware recommended.

Also, k3dav has posted a new way to deal with the problem similar to mine, but this one seems to be better since it takes care of the blank space left instead of the ad.

 

@langware

Is there any advantage of IE8 over Firefox? By the way, which one do you use?

 

@k3dav

Nice one k3dav, I guess we make a pretty good Help Team, I am changing my name to Charlie P

There is a way to turn on InPrivate Filtering by default so you don´t have to do it manually every time.

http://techinfo.co.in/wordpress/?p=913

To open regedit go to the Start Menu (the windows orb at the bottom left), type regedit in the search box and press Enter.  Or you could go to the Start Menu ---> Run ---> type: regedit.

@Charles Blackberry,

 

Regarding your question:  "Is there any advantage of IE8 over Firefox? By the way, which one do you use?"

 

That is a debate that could go on and on ... so I'll not engage. A web search on the terms: IE8 Firefox comparison or on the terms: browser comparison will result in many many hits.

 

Up to a few months ago, I was using IE7. It was very important (to me) to have a browser add-on that would run user scripts (I use scripts from various free online sources, and I write my own scripts). The IEPro add-on (for IE7) met my needs for an add-on that would run user scripts. When it became clear that IEPro would not be upgraded to support IE8, I began looking for an IE8 add-on that could run scripts. Unfortunately, I did not find such an add-on (for IE8).

 

However, I did find that Firefox had such an add-on (Greasemonkey). So, a few months ago, I switched to Firefox. I've not had any problems with either Firefox or the Greasemonkey add-on. So for me, the ability to run user scripts was important, and (as far as I could find) there was no add-on for IE8 to run user scripts.

 

I believe that IE8 and Firefox both have their advantages and disadvantages. It really comes down to personal choice (what broswer features are important to you). It's easy to try both IE8 and Firefox (as well as the other major browsers) and see which one works best for you.

 

 

@langware

In trying to find a solution to the ads problem I ended up trying Firefox and I liked it.  Right now I am using Firefox and haven´t had any problems with it. But, because I was so used to IE8, I downloaded addons to customize Firefox, now it looks and feels almost exactly as IE8, but with the added features of a ton of addons and userscripts.

I also use greasefire for Greasemonkey, it finds all the userscripts available for any webpage you are viewing.

I think I will stick with Firefox

 

 

While I accept (and even welcome) the adverts that appear on hotmail that, lets face it, pay for the service, I think hotmail have really dropped the ball with the 'permanent' right side adds.

1) The content SHOULD be vetted. Some things are just not suitable. Why should I have to stare at objectionable images (the point of this thread).

2) More importantly, which numpty (great word, look it up) thought that ads that appear OVER the functional features of hotmail was a good idea, and those ads CAN'T BE TURNED OFF........

But either way, well done Hotmail: I don't use IE8 anymore, I use 'the fox that burns' instead, with greasemonkey to turn these ads off.

Styles

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -->

/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -->

/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

Please excuse me.  I have not read all the posts so if this is inappropriate or redundant, I apologize.  I just registered at this forum for the sole purpose of providing a voice for the disabled in this matter.

The right side ads are NOT just annoying.  There are many hotmail users who, because of disability or age, struggle with simple screen navigation.  These same people and others often need screen resolution compatible with vision problems.  A screen system which requires additional and often repetitive steps simply increases their difficulties, draws embarrassing attention to their hardships and requires the time of others to assist them. 

An email display system which requires extra steps simply to read an entire subject line is at the onset counterintuitive.  YET IT ALSO TENDS TO IHERENTLY INCREASE BURDENS ON THE DISABLED, for some of whom email is one of their limited inks to the world! 

Email has moved beyond a 'nicety' to the category of a vital public service on which very many people now depend for accomplishing daily, and often important, tasks.  Many people, especially including our veterans with battle incurred injuries, suffer motor skill impediments are disproportionately impacted by such artificial impediments.  Viewing email as an essential service, for these people, such barriers represent little less than "insidious discrimination" against the disabled.

As most technology fortunately moves to simplify our lives, Microsoft has made a strategic marketing decision which constitutes a rude inconvenience at best and at worst INCREASES BARRIERS FOR THE DISABLED.  All disabled persons and perhaps especially now our Wounded Warriors deserve better.

***

 

 

@Styles,

 

Good points. I too use Firefox and GreaseMonkey, and no longer see any ads in Hotmail.

 

I also understand that Hotmail is free, and thus needs ads. However, when the ads moved from the top of the screen to the right side (December 2008), many many customers pleaded with Microsoft (on these forums) to make the location of the ads a user option (i.e., let the user choose top, bottom, left, right for the location of the ads). However, the Hotmail product team ignored customer's requests (and continues to do so).

 

After several months of having our requests (to make the location of the ads an option) ignored by the Hotmail product team, I began looking into scripts that would remove the ads and expand the inbox to reuse the screen space formerly occupied by the ad. I found several scripts, and wrote one myself.

 

While writing my script, I discovered how simple it would be to implement the many customer requests (posted in these forums and forwarded to the Hotmail product team by the mods). It would not take very many lines of code to implement user friendly features such as making the location of the ads an option, making the Quick Add pane an option, and expanding other frames to better utilize the screen space. However, in the six months since the last Hotmail release (December 2008), there have been no improvements made to Hotmail by the product team.

 

I suspect the reason for this is that there are few (if any) Microsoft staff left on the Hotmail product team. It's public knowledge that Microsoft had significant layoffs in January and May. Given that Hotmail is really not a revenue generator for Microsoft, I suspect that most (if not all) of the staff formerly on the Hotmail product team have either been laid off or reassigned to other projects.

 

In my opinion, it is not likely that we will see any significant improvements or releases to Hotmail until the economy improves and staff can again be hired for the Hotmail product team. That could take years. In the mean time, it appears that Hotmail is essentially a dead product. There is no one on staff to vet the contents of Hotmail's ads, so it is likely that the disgusting ads will continue. If enough of us complain here (about a specific ad) then someone eventually pulls the ad .... but eventually it is reloaced by some other equally disgusting ad.

 

The best solution that I could come up with was to use browser extensions and scripts to completely block all ads in Hotmail. Looks like many others are doing the same.

 

One other technique that you may want to look into for generically blocking adds is a HOSTS file replacement. Search on these words:   hosts  mvps

 

Check out their site. I use their Hosts file replacement which eliminates many ads (not just from Hotmail, but from all sites I visit). Finally, I also use the Adblock Plus extension in Firefox. Between those two techniques, I rarely see any ads when browsing.

@ismigrationonlyanswer


If you are comfortable installing extensions into your browser, see these links for discussions on tools that can be used to COMPLETELY ELIMINATE ALL ADS IN HOTMAIL:

http://windowslivehelp.com/community/p/55123/251046.aspx#251046

http://windowslivehelp.com/community/t/44808.aspx


I realize that implementing the techniques described in the above links takes some effort, but once done, you will be able to use Hotmail to view your email with no ads on the right to distract and annoy. If you have any questions about these techniques, post here to get help.

This is to everyone who have followed the advise of us customers, and used one of the ad blockers described in these forums.

First of all, I hope all of you that are here in America have enjoyed a fun and safe 4th of July holiday weekend.

We have put up with the worst response teams, the worst product teams, and the worst customer service people in the history of the internet.  Namely, Windows Live.  We have endured insults and run-a-rounds from them for the last 6 to 7 months.  I think they sit back and laugh at us every time they post another robotic form-letter reply that provides no help of any kind.

But all in all, I think we have won the battle.  They put the ads on our email pages to annoy us and make some money in the process.  But we have defeated that purpose with our own persistence in finding solutions without their worthless help.  Some of us have found the links to other sites that have allowed people like me to continue using IE8 and completely eliminate those pathetic ads.  Others like my friend LANGWARE have switched to other browsers such as Firefox with ad blocker ad ons, and re-written scripts, to remove the ads.  Whatever method we have adopted to get rid of the ads, the bottom line is, we got rid of the ads.

By the recently noticeable drop in complaints in these forums, it is obvious that we are spreading the word to more and more Hotmail users.  They are also going to other websites that have been posting the same information.  Now here is where I feel that we have won.  Hotmail has advertisers that are paying them money to force their ads on all of us free users, but very few of the users are now seeing those ads.  That means the advertisers are still paying MS money, and getting far less responses. Sooner or later, those advertisers will see that the money they are paying MS is not returning much revenue, and they will start seeing MS as not a very good outlet to advertise on.

To add insult to injury, these ad blockers we are now using, are also blocking ads from most other websites, and the same result will occur with those sites as well.  So if many websites start losing income due to the ad blockers we are now using, they can blame WINDOWS LIVE and Microsoft for ignoring their customers.  In refusing to listen to it's customer's complaints, and it's continued arrogance of hiring robots in another country to appease us, Windows Live and MS have aided in losing money for not just themselves, but for several other websites as well. I myself have now written emails to many of the Hotmail advertisers, and told them just what I have said here.  So they are now fully aware that Windows Live is directly to blame for any losses they incur from their ads on our email pages.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.  I feel gratified that we have banded together in these forums to assist each other in solving this horrific, pathetic problem that should not have happened in the first place.  So maybe this worthless forum of utter incompetence has served a couple of good purposes after all.  Some of us have made a few new friends that continue to keep in touch outside these forums.  And we have pulled together to show the richest company in the world, that we do not have to take their crap, and that they can be beat.  I am sure in time, MS will come up with another way to annoy us with ads, but I am also sure that we will again find the solution if we all look for it together.

Thank you C.B.

I was getting desperate with the annoying ads and the small window left for my E-mail.

Apparently I din't finish reading your post, and when I returned to my In box, the pests were there again!

I am now resigned to using cont+Shft+F- I may venture into Regedit....

Petite Loup

Hello again,

I did venture into Regedit but I didn't change anything because when I went to create anew DWORD, it gave me the choice of using 32 bit or 64 bit (I am using Vista). Any thoughts?

Thanx

P.L>

@PetiteLoup:

The ads on the right side of Hotmail's pages can be COMPLETELY REMOVED!!
(For obvious reasons, the moderators in these forums will provide alternative email solutions, but will not tell you about this solution which allows you to continue using the free Hotmail service with the ads completely removed).

First, install the Firefox browser, and make it your default.

 

Then, install the extension to Firefox called Greasemonkey (this will allow scripts to be run within Firefox).

 

Finally, install the specialized script that will remove all ads from Hotmail and reuse the space vacated by the ads.

 

See this page for links to firefox and greasemonkey:

http://userscripts.org/about/installing

 

... and see this page for a link to the script you need:

http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/8228

Hello Langware, thank you for responding.

Grease Monkey will not work for me because I have IE8 on Windows Vista. I have resolved the problem by downloading the file rules.zip -

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22124619-IE8-InPrivate-filter-from-adblock-plus-list. I didn't touch regedit to make the change automatically because the instruction for adding a new DWORD value did not specify whether I should choose 64 bit or 32 bit.

and using CONTROL+SHIFT+F is not working for me; I have to go to InPrivate Settings every time. Any ideas?

Thank you

 

@PetiteLoup:

I'm sorry, but I can't help with IE8 (I don't use it). Perhaps you can post a question on dslreports.

I have changed my default browser to Firefox for just the reasons you mentioned .... with IE8 it is difficult to block ads and run scripts. Making changes to the registry can be very dangerous (if not done right).

With Firefox, it is very simple to install free extensions to block ads (adblock plus) and to run scripts (greasemonkey). The greasemonkey script I mentioned in my provious post will remove all ads from Hotmail. And with the Firefox extensions, one does not have to make changes to the registry.

You can have both IE8 and Firefox installed on your PC, and can use either one as you wish. See the links in my provious post if you decide to install Firefox.