A User Script for Ignoring babblers
This is for Firefox browser users who have Greasemonkey installed as an add-on.
Go to the following web address:
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/59253
Click on the green-ish button with black font labelled "Install" It's in the upper right-hand corner of the page. You can view the source code and comments before installing. It's a
The script also works with the Opera browser as well as Google Chrome browser. Interested babblers WILL NOT need Greasemonkey add-on for either of those browsers in order for the script to work. I'll post the installation instructions for these latter two browsers later if anyone's interested. I have to go the pharmacy and then the grocery store before I do anything else. First babbler to install and get working wins the big prize. It is very high tech, but I think babblers are ready for this. Enjoy, it's yours, and you owe me $9.95. Just kidding! 
Thanks.
Is there an ignore function available anywhere for users of IE7/Win Vista that will work on this board? I'd like to ignore myself.
Fidel, great work on the script. Now if only Winblows 7 would allow it.
Correction: In the top, very first post, the location of the script should be this: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/104309
How to run Greasemonkey scripts on Chrome, Opera, IE, Safari
I'm not computer-savvy enough to try other browsers, although I did go to Firefox on my old computer,and didn't like it at all. I've had absolutely no trouble with either Windows Vista or IE7, other than he fact that I've sent money to a horrible corporation.
If it's a matter of keeping your old bookmarks, I believe you can import those into either Opera or chrome. Not sure about FF though. I added IEPro addon to IE8, and it's a resource hog. Talk about slowing things down. Right now I have three different browsers installed and working with the same userscript installed in three different Windows folders. It works with three different browsers on my PC running on top of Vista. I admit it wasnt intuitive for me or very easy to get it to run with Opera or Chrome. I can find my way around most Unix file systems, and I must say that Windows Vista must be somewhat confusing for the average Windows user. I've got to stop and think about what in heck I'm trying to do when something doesnt run right. Nobody is interested in snooping around my stuff on my PC running Vista Home, so why all the added file security clap trap? It's ridiculous.
Installation Instructions for Google Chrome & Opera browser users
Javascript source code can be copied & pasted to a Notepad file from this source:
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/104309 ...and click on the "Source Code" tab to the right of "About" to view the javascript.
Just remember that if you use Notepad or whichever text editor, you must save the file with type "All Files" extension and not of type text. Your new script filename has to have three parts to it separated by two dots: anyname.user.js This is important for both chrome and Opera browsers to recognize the file and read the script within the file.
Google's Chrome browser
Right-click on the chrome browser shortcut icon on your Windows desktop, and choose "Properties". Append this to the very right-hand end of the text in the entry field labelled "Target", and leaving one space between the last double quote and this new specifier:
--enable-user-scripts
It should look like this:
The steps for installing the script with the Chrome browser from here on are much the same as for Opera, except that the new folder location for the script will be of a different file path where Chrome will automatically look for any user scripts to read and execute or apply to either specific web pages or all web pages in general. The header of myfilter.user.js tells chrome which pages to apply the script to, which will be any and all babble thread pages only. You can name the file whatever you want, but it must end with this filename extension: anyfilename.user.js. And the following is the full Windows file path to the folder where your script file must be saved to:
C:\Users\YourFolderHere\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\User Scripts
Note: With respect to typing in the above folder and file path, the second folder name in the path from left to right will be your own user name as it appears in Windows Explorer. You may have to place your mouse cursor over the folder list path window at top of Windows Explorer, and right-click on the file path window. Choose edit address, which wll then allow you to edit the folder path. Move through your folders to the target folder by editing that path of folders separated by a backslashe, or character that looks like "\" on your keyboard, between each folder name and paying attention to letter case. As you type in the path example referred to above this paragraph in bolded lettering, Windows folder/file name auto completion helps you navigate through each folder in the list with a drop down window pointing the way. If the folder "User Scripts" doesnt exist in Default, then create it. Place a copy of your script file in the final folder destination User Scripts. And there must be a space between User and Scripts when naming that last folder if it doesnt exist already.
If chrome doesn't read the script(ie you see nothing new added to the authors panels at left in any particular babble thread) then the solution may be to go to the folder where myfilter.user.js is located and change file permissions to "Everyone", or just open google chrome with administrator level privileges. In that case, right-click on your chrome shortcut(on the desktop), click on Properties, click on shortcut tab, click Advanced button, choose "Run as Administrator"
When viewing the file folder where your script is located, Windows Explorer should tell you its file type is "JS", like this:
If it's a type "Text" file, then it just needs the extension changing from .txt to anyfile.user.js
And that's it, you're done installing the script. Just make sure that javascript and cookies are enabled in Google Chrome.
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OPERA browser users
Step One: Create a new folder and file
To have the script work with Opera, installing the script is easy. Create a folder or subdirectory on your hard drive named scriptsFor most people, the main drive on their computers is mapped to the letter "C", so you would create a folder of this pathname: C:\scripts
Then put a copy of myfilter.user.js in that folder. The Windows folder location of your user script will then be: C:\scripts\myfilter.user.js
It's important that the script file name is in the form of myscript.user.js When you look at the file list for your new folder using Windows Explorer, Windows should recognize it as a JS type of file, meaning it's a javascript file. All you'll see though is something like, myscript.user in the file list. But to the right of that it should say it's a type JS file. You may have to rename the file once or twice to either myscript.user or even myscript.user.js in order for Windows(and Opera browser) to recognize it as a javascript file. Either way you want your script to be recognized by Windows Explorer as a JS(javascript) file and not a text file. JS files have ".js" extensions and text files saved in Notepad have .txt file extension. Be careful with Notepad as there are two options to save a file, and the file can have either an extension of type text or as "All Files". You want "All Files" Saving it as type text will append a ".txt" to whatever your filename is, and it won't be recognized by your browser as a javascript file. The script is installed at this point. And so when viewing the location of the file in Win-Explorer, it should look something like this with your folder's file "details" selected:
Windows will probably see it as just myfilter.user and not display the .js portion of the filename. In list view or detailed view of your new folder, Windows Explorer should list myfilter.user as a type JS file though. And if not, rename the file and append a .js to the right end of it. Close explorer window, re-open it and check to see that Windows Explorer recognizes it as a type JS file in the FILE TYPE column. That's the easy part.
Step Two: Enable javascript in browser
In Opera's Tools menu, choose quick preferences.
1. Make sure that block all popups is not selected. I have block unwanted popups selected.
2. Also in "Quick Preferences", I have enabled: java, plugins, javascript, and cookies
3. Open Tools, "Preferences", click the "Advanced" tab. Select "Content" from the four panes on the left. Click "Javascript options" button. I have all the options enabled in that pane except for open console on error. Web pages sometimes produce lots of error and warning messages for various reasons, but the page still works. Error and warning messages can be annoying. At the bottom there is an entry field. Type in this path: C:\scripts
It should look like this:
Again you must be logged in to rabble in order for the script to work and to view the changes
Does anyone have this working yet? If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask away. You can post your question here or even PM me. I'll do my best to help you get it running for any one of the three internet browsers mentioned above.
It works perfectly for me! Now I never have to see Unionist's posts again!
(Just kidding. I won't be blocking anyone - I just tested it out on Unionist because I remembered a few threads he had posted in and wanted to go from thread to thread to test it out. I love Unionist. Really. :) )
Thanks for this, Fidel! I hope it's helpful to those who feel the need to use it.
P.S. Firefox really is an excellent browser. The first time I tried it, a few years ago, I hated it too. But now it's really great, and I never use IE anymore for anything. And the good thing is, you can add scripts like this SO easily in Firefox, whereas IE is a pain in the ass to add anything to. It's so worth switching, not just for the politics of it (which is reason enough) but because it's a superior product.
Nice work Fidel!
There are babblers still using Micro$oft Internet Explorer? Gee...haven't been around as much lately...guess I have some work to do
Has anyone seen Michelle around lately?
Heh.
I use Google Chrome.......fast and easy to use
http://www.google.com/chrome
Seriously, though. I want to thank Fidel for creating this tool. I think it's really neat that he saw an issue and actually took time out of his life to create a really neat little app that could help people resolve it and enjoy the site more.
In a way, even though I've been jokingly wishing for just this for years, I have mixed feelings about the use of it now that it's here. But I do think that it could be an extremely useful "cooling off" tool when people just feel they can't get along with another babbler, no matter how hard they try to overcome their annoyance or whatever other emotion gets triggered by the other person.
I don't think people will be using this tool extensively (at least I hope not, in that I hope there isn't widespread NEED for it), but I think it can be a really useful little gadget. And I'm really impressed with how well it works.
Thanks very much, Fidel, for your contribution and your dedication to the site.
Okay great. I just wanted to make sure that someone is able to run this other than me. I don't think most people will need to use it either. I actually have no one on my lowbies list right now. I began wondering why I was monkeying around with this script when I realized I can't stay miffed at anyone longer than a couple of days anway. Must be middle age creep, or something. And then I realized that it's not only for my benefit. If anyone was to become really digusted with, say, my posts and my off the wall comments from time to time, they can just turn me off. They can say to themselves, I've had enough of Fidel's atrocious spelling and awful grammar today, I just can't take it anymore. And then click me off. And I don't have to feel bad about, because I won't know.
This is for babblers using the IE8 browser and have downloaded and installed IEPro addon for Internet Explorer.
Oops! I will try to post a link to install a user script that works with IE later today. An unforseen error just occurred, and I'll have to look at it later.
Just curious how this works. Say I'm choosing to ignore babbler x. So his posts disappear. What about babbler y who quotes babbler x? Does that part of babbler y's post disappear?
No, it's not that sophisticated, but I believe it could be done though with some effort. Not by me though. There is a second hyperlink labelled on/off for each author's pane(except moderators) to toggle the comments display of any babbler manually. That way you can click off individual posts at random in addition to those posters in your "hidebabbler" list, which is the name of the cookie created and stored in the same folder as your other rabble cookies.
This is for babblers using the IE8 browser (or IE9 here) and have downloaded and installed IE7Pro add-on for Internet Explorer. I think both IEPro and the user script will work with IE7 but not sure. You must have user scripts enabled in IEPro before installing and using the script.
Visit this page: http://iescripts.org/view-scripts-1114p1.htm and click on the install Script button upper-right side of the page. Javascript and cookies must be enabled, popups for rabble/babble enabled, etc.
Now it does. No more babbler x in babbler y's post but only where the author's name is included in the quote. Unfortunately, so are any other innocent bystander quotes obliterated when it's a nested block quote. It's ugly, but it works to some extent. Third link top post.
ETA: Updated script for FireFox, Chrome, and Opera browser users here at the same web address: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/104309
...and here for Internet Explorer users: http://iescripts.org/view-scripts-1114p1.htm
I just put this same note at the above address describing a bug fix/compromise for IEPro and an issue with it not loading in IE8 for some reason. Sometimes you''l notice that your userscript stops working all of a sudden. You can close and re-open IE8 when it does happen. Or if you don't mind disabling tabbed browsing in IE8, then IEPro will load with every instance of IE8 browser as well as your user script.
Latest Note: If your script for IE8 running with IE7Pro add-on stops working from time to time, it's because IE7Pro isn't loading as IE8's tabbed browser windowing increases past one. What you can do is change or add a Windows registry key value to Windows Registry described at this tinyurl address redirect to an IE support site: http://preview.tinyurl.com/cojczw and click on 'proceed to this site' Follow Shahinur's instructions for changing or adding the registry key named 'TabProcGrowth' using Windows Registry Editor. And make it a DWord value of 0(numeral zero). The tradeoff for having IEPro load every time without fail, as well as your userscript working on every babble page without a hitch, is that IE tabbed browser instances will run in the same thread process. We can be sure this bug will be fixed in future releases of IEPro. If you're not familiar with Windows registry editor, make a backup of the registry before doing anything, and-or even better, have an experienced PC user assist you.
Okay, this is for that one babbler who's been installing the script over and over and dinging up the install count. I added a few new lines of script for errer cheking porpoises. It's supposed to handle crazy usernames with parentheses and those long ones that are truncated in the author's pane but not in the page where quoted. Anyway, it doesn't work sometimes for me with IE8, and I don't know why but it has something to do with how IE8 handles cookies. If it does break, it seems to be that the cookie and tab process become discombobulated for some reason. Try deleting the hidebabbler cookie in your IE8 Windows/Microsoft/AppData/The script changes seem to work a-ok with FF, Chrome and Opera though. Go figure.
In IE8, the approximate path to your cookies looks something like this:
C:\Users\JohnQ babbler\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
Vista Windows folder and file Explorer won't show me the folders deeper than ...\AppData\... and so I have to type it in to the Explorer window as a text path. Or you can go through IE8 "Options" from the drop down menue, choose General tab, delete button to delete all cookies, OR choose the button beside it, Settings and then "View Files" to see your hidebabbler cookie. And just delete that cookie if necessary.
Hey, I'll be able to use this in 11 days! :D
Oh...I'm just kidding.
Seriously though - thanks for your work, Fidel.
Thanks Michelle. I still don't have anyone on my lowbies list. And it's too bad, because I could really ignore someone if I wanted to.
I think Greasemonkey and even IEPro have a lot of nice features that the more internet savvy babblers can appreciate. I'm not that particular as to want to use a lot of those bells and whistles though, and I hope those add-ons are maintained in future for people to be able to shape and customize web content to their personalized satisfaction.
I'll leave the info up there for installing the script for Google's Chrome. If babblers who use Chrome want to try Chrome version 249.64 (beta), then they will be able to install the script using the easy click and install button method at that site a-ok without going through all the hassle I described not very well above in post #8.
Fidel, what about using our Internal Spam Filters?
Fidel, thanks for the newest update. You can be assured that your script works with FF and Windblows 7!!
I'm not technically savvy enough to fiddle with this, although it sounds like a very cool little tool, Fidel!
I use a low-tech version: There are one or two babblers whose posts I simply ignore. Generally it works quite nicely!!
Google Chrome 4 now natively supports Greasemonkey user scripts
Me, too, and that's what I meant by using my Internal Spam Filter (TM).
Not naming names, of course, but if I don't respond to a particular thread participant in a thread that clearly engages me (say on psychiatry or civil liberties or some such), it doesn't mean I didn't read their, er, "contribution."
As my dear father often says "I don't have time to read every piece of crap that's put in front of me." And he's a professional! A Ph.D. for Goodness' Sake. Just sayin'.