Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Oneota · May 13, 2006, 11:10 AM

I know that the page to disable IntelliTXT is http://www.macnn.com/privacy/intellitxt/ but I'm concerned that there's no mention of it on http://www.macnn.com/privacy/ nor is there a link anywhere on that main privacy page to the intellitxt page. How is the ordinary user supposed to disable this feature?

Also, I *HATE* how the IntelliTXT feature only disables for a month or so and then turns itself back on.

Please add a way to permanently disable IntelliTXT. It's extremely annoying and does nothing but engender feelings of anger towards MacNN (and makes me prefer MacCentral as my news source).

tooki · May 13, 2006, 12:03 PM

Disclaimer: I have zero influence over the MacNN news site and any part of MacNN's IntelliTXT, and I am strongly opposed to IntelliTXT for numerous reasons.

Anyway, the link is in the IntelliTXT popup when you hover over an ad link. In the popup box, the word IntelliTXT and the little question mark next to it are the link to the page. I agree that it's not prominently displayed. At least MacNN lets you disable IntelliTXT at all; no other ad-linked site I've seen allows it.

tooki

CharlesS · May 13, 2006, 02:52 PM

I still don't get it. That page only seems to describe IntelliTXT and what it does. I don't see any information on disabling it on that page. How exactly do you disable IntelliTXT? Just by browsing to the page that describes it?

Chuckit · May 13, 2006, 03:14 PM

There's a link at the bottom of the page that says "Click here to disable."

CharlesS · May 13, 2006, 03:30 PM

^ Not here. I can even use Command-F and search for the word "disable" and nothing turns up.

Oh well. I know what's probably the reason - it turns out I still have macnn.us.intellitxt.com redirected to 127.0.0.1 in my /etc/hosts file. Probably that server needs to be called for the link to show up on the page. Oh well, no reason to worry about it, I was just curious.

Gamoe · May 13, 2006, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by Oneota

Also, I *HATE* how the IntelliTXT feature only disables for a month or so and then turns itself back on.

Honestly, a combination of Firefox, AdBlock Plus and complimentary extensions seems to work for me. It shouldn't have to be that way, but unfortunately that's the way it is, because temptation is far too great for some/most companies and webmasters.

subego · May 13, 2006, 06:35 PM

Never turned back on for me...

I must be special.

subego · May 13, 2006, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

no other ad-linked site I've seen allows it.

tooki

RPG.net allows it.

When I checked to be sure I found this:

"Deactivation requires the use of cookie technology. If you should delete or refresh your cookies, please note that the service will be re-activated automatically."

Which may explain why it gets reactivated for some.

Macola · May 13, 2006, 08:24 PM

Actually, redirecting in the hosts file as CharlesS mentioned has worked really well for me. I wasn't sure if I could use wildcards (e.g., *.intellitxt.com) but apparently I can--no more annoying underlines on other sites as well.

Oneota · May 14, 2006, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by tooki

Anyway, the link is in the IntelliTXT popup when you hover over an ad link. In the popup box, the word IntelliTXT and the little question mark next to it are the link to the page. I agree that it's not prominently displayed.

Ahhh...I see. I had gone out of my way to *NEVER* mouseover the links, so I had never noticed that.

Heh...guess that ad strategy's workin' out real well for 'em, huh?

Oneota · May 14, 2006, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by subego

RPG.net allows it.

When I checked to be sure I found this:

"Deactivation requires the use of cookie technology. If you should delete or refresh your cookies, please note that the service will be re-activated automatically."

Which may explain why it gets reactivated for some.

Hmm, except that I never deleted or refreshed my cookies. I think that every time I disable it, it just makes a cookie with an expiration date of a month or two after the current date.

Oneota · May 14, 2006, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Oh well. I know what's probably the reason - it turns out I still have macnn.us.intellitxt.com redirected to 127.0.0.1 in my /etc/hosts file. Probably that server needs to be called for the link to show up on the page. Oh well, no reason to worry about it, I was just curious.

Indeed; I just made the same modification, and the little blurb about enabling or disabling IntelliTXT went away altogether. Guess I won't have to worry about it anymore. w00t.

Person Man · May 15, 2006, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Oneota

Hmm, except that I never deleted or refreshed my cookies. I think that every time I disable it, it just makes a cookie with an expiration date of a month or two after the current date.

So edit the expiration date of the cookie to 2035 or something, which effectively makes it permanent.

Or add the intellitxt.com servers to your hosts file and get rid of it on all sites for good.

Gamoe · May 15, 2006, 03:54 PM

Person Man, weren't you hit on the head with a frying pan?

Person Man · May 15, 2006, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Gabriel Morales

Person Man, weren't you hit on the head with a frying pan?

So I've been told...

Gamoe · May 15, 2006, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by Person Man

So I've been told...

Hehe, indeed. Sorry, couldn't resist!

-- Particle Man (iTunes Store), though I prefer this version.