Vivaldi browser–Technical Preview 2 Release + Tip

I’m really liking my Vivaldi browser experience so far. Each snapshot release helps refine the browser that much more.

It still isn’t my primary web-browser but I enjoy the web-browsing experience the more I use it between releases.

So does Ars Technica!  If you haven’t spent much time checking it out based on what I’ve been posting here (my #1 excitement…having a Chrome-like browser but with a true bookmark side-bar like Firefox) check out Scott Gilbertson’s wonderful review below.

• Hands-on with Vivaldi, the new Web browser for power users - Ars Technica

The past few weeks have been busy for the Vivaldi team and no less than two “snapshot” releases capped by a Technical Preview 2 release have come out.

• Technical Preview 2 is here! - Vivaldi.net
• Snapshot 1.0.118.2 now available - Vivaldi.net
• Snapshot 1.0.111.2 now with experimental 64-bit Windows build and more language support - Vivaldi.net

One weakness of Vivaldi right now is that it doesn’t yet support plug-ins. For core web-browsing that’s not a problem, but if you like to bolster the security of your browser it can be a bit daunting.

I run Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit as one (of several) layers of system security. More on that in a follow up post.

However the free version doesn’t support Vivaldi.

I also depend on adware blocker add-ons. I totally get the whole argument about how blocking ads cuts into the revenue streams of many full-time bloggers who make their living by ad-generated revenue. However, I’ve also seen the carnage from malware delivered via malvertizing campaigns. That isn’t the fault (usually) of the blogger or web-site but I don’t like the idea of getting infected either. Also, I’m very, very unlikely to purchase a product seen via a web-ad. Word of mouth and in-depth product reviews from trusted bloggers are much more likely to encourage me to check out a product.

I digress…

So I cannot run an ad blocker in Vivaldi (as I do in my primary-use Firefox/Chromium browsers), and want to do so to ensure I have an additional layer of protection against a malvertizing-based attack.

What to do?

Luckily, the tinyapps.org bloggist had the answer for me as posted back in October last year

• Ad Muncher: Free ad blocking for all browsers

Download, install, configure, update, protected! System-wide. The developers (Murray Hurps and Jeffery Cole) have recently (and generously) decided to offer their product (formerly $) fully-featured for free.

I’ve got a lot to learn about Ad Muncher, but the gist is that it runs on your system, sitting in the system tray, and can cover ad-blocking in any web-browser (without needing to be an add-on extension).

I recommend reading the Ad Muncher/Frequently Asked Questions page on the Ad Muncher Wiki site. It is a great place to start.

The program is highly configurable and you can add all kinds of extra tweaks and custom filtering.

It does sit as a local-system proxy-of-sorts for your browser web-traffic, so if you are concerned be aware of that and take some time to read the extensive Ad Muncher v4.72 and newer help page for all the technical details.  Also, don’t forget it is running as a proxy of sort as that could through off your troubleshooting a bit.

Check it out and big hat-tip to both tinyapps.org and the Ad Muncher crew.

Cheers,

Claus Valca