It still works, just not as well. Despite having "block popups" checked in Firefox and having uBlock Origin installed, I'm still seeing far too many than I would like. Any ideas about how to improve ad blocking? I don't know anything about custom filters or how to block ads manually, but I suspect both would help.

I was using Disconnect, too, until I didn't meet the requirements for the latest version, so I don't have it anymore.

I wouldn't mind some ads if I could eliminate the most annoying ones: videos that auto-play (at full volume, of course) and popups, popunders, and popsides. These days when visiting a web site, I'm likely to be bombarded until I can even use the site. There are requests to join the mailing list, requests for donations, requests to turn off my ad blocker, requests to approve the use of cookies. There will be a graphic with social networking icons in vary degrees of obtrusiveness.

This is with ad blocking turned on. I assume something is being blocked.

Recently, I switched back to SAFARI after using CHROME or years. (I haven't used Firefox in over a decade, so cannot comment from any recent experience with it.)

SAFARI's own ad blocking (Preferences/Security) is pretty effective, I must say. It blocks just about everything you mentioned with consistency. By default, the video sound is muted, but you can then "turn on" and listen to any you choose.


RE: ". . . This is with ad blocking turned on. I assume something is being blocked . . ."

Not necessarily. Perhaps your Ad Blocker of choice needs an update?

The battle between advertisers and ad-blockers is continuously evolving. Blocking techniques that used to work are regularly defeated by advertisers and blockers must evolve into new blocking strategies. New blocking strategies frequently rely on features in the browser and/or OS for at least a portion of their functionality and therefore unavailable for older browser and OS versions. According to your signature, you are still using OS X 10.6.7, which is not even the latest version of Snow Leopard, and is over 6½ years old. And long ago dropped from Apple's support queue. So you may have to learn to live with the unwanted popups and other advertising detritus until you are ready and willing to upgrade.

😢

I doubt that the problem is my Mac or OS or old version of Firefox, because I have the problem on Windows, too.

If ad blockers are going to exist, I want them to block ads. I guess I need to learn how to customize the filters. I'm especially annoyed by autorun video clips that play at full volume. If advertisers want to turn themselves into enemies, that is a good way to do it.

I've verified that I have among the slowest DSL speeds compared to the overwhelmingly majority of people. How they can afford it I don't know. The reason I started using ad blockers is because I need to get every ounce of speed that I can in order to make my system usuable. Not to make it fast, to make it usuable on the internet. So I'm probably different from a lot of people out there using ad blockers.

In order to use a more recent version of Firefox, I would have to buy a new computer. I won't buy another Mac unless I can find a cheap old one that's just a notch above mine, with the same or bigger screen, running 10.7 or so. I loathe what's become of Apple and the Mac.

I have no plans to buy a computer unless an incredible deal catches my eye. My iMac is not upgradeable. Working inside this computer is so difficult and risky that I'm likely to break it. It's maxed out at 3GB of RAM. I never got 10.6.8 to work. According to EveryMac, the maximum OS I can run is 10.7.5, but I don't know what the considerations are. This CPU can compete with modern computers provided the modern OS doesn't slow it down.

Using Windows showed me what life is like outside the ghetto. But I miss the Mac's interface, the file system structure, the security, the speed of the Finder, Tex-Edit Plus, and Pages. Two years ago I bought my folks a Dell. Since then I have maxed the RAM at 16GB, added an SSD, and streamlined services to the minimum, and still, still there are slowdowns while waiting for a program to do its thing, waiting for the constant, interminable system updates to download and install, and the constant restarts. I rarely have to restart my Mac.

Someday perhaps I will have my ideal computer where I will never have to wait for anything and every operation will be fast. If I had the money, I would get it now. I would like to know what such a machine would look like. Everything fast. Almost no waiting. For me, there's no such thing as a computer that's too fast.

But I wonder if a computer will always be at the mercy of the OS. Both the Mac OS and Windows OS seem to have gotten slower with age. Is the OS the computer's worst bottleneck? My current iMac running 10.6 is faster in the Finder than File Explorer in Windows 8.1 on my parents' Dell. I do almost no waiting on my Mac. The problem, as always, is the internet and a shortage of software. So it's a real dilemma. Maybe I could spend a little money, but not a lot. If I have to, I will abandon my iMac and use my 10 year old Dell laptop full time.

According to Jony Ives, Apple's design chief, hardware is only there to support the software and should be as nearly invisible as possible. So yes the computer, smart phone, tablet, etc. will always and inevitably be at the mercy of the OS whether that is MacOS, iOS, Windows, Unix, or ???. Apple gives their OS and applications away in order to sell iPhones, iPads, Watches, Macs, Apple TVs, and whatever else is on Apple's drawing board. I leave the math to you.

Two possibilities you might considert…

1. What do you do on a computer and could that be done on say an iPad instead. It would be a lot less expensive than a computer, but like any computer device it would still be at the mercy of the OS and software.
2. DSL is technologically subject to significant speed limitations imposed by the transmission media (ie. copper cable. Have you investigated the availability of cable internet in your area? In my neighborhood, cable is over 10 times faster than either DSL or Uverse and is easily price competitive.

A couple things yesterday have forced me to evaluate my conclusions.

One, my new Matias Quiet Keyboard arrived. The key action is nice. But it prevents my imac from sleeping. I select Sleep, then get up from my chair, then the iMac comes on. It won't stay asleep.

Two, I just switched to protonmail a couple months ago. Yesterday I couldn't retrieve my mail due to a javascript error in Firefox.

These seem to be longevity problems. I'm seriously considering buying a computer now. Funny how things can change quickly. A lot to think about. It's tough being far behind when it comes to Firefox. That's a real burden for people who use the internet a lot.

I've never liked iPads, so rule that out. I use a computer for a lot of writing and editing, internet use, genealogy, and my music.

People always tell you there are PC equivalents for what you want to do, but they're not identical. I've become familiar with Windows software. It's not as great as you might think. There's more, but a lot of it's crap. There's open source, and a lot of it's crap. There's a lot freeware, and a lot of it's crap. I will miss Tex-edit Plus, Pages, Numbers, iTunes, Reunion, Default Folder, atext, ClipMenu, Singer Song Reader, XLD, Starry Night, SuperDuper, Onyx, GraphicConverter, EasyFind, Disc Cover, BookReader. These have been my tools for a very long time.

I need to think about this.

Don't forget to look into Refurbished Mac - Apple if you're thinking about getting current.

What about upgrading to 10.7? Apple has it for twenty bucks. What's the downside?

Ars Technica says Lion 10.7 requires a 64-bit Intel, which I don't have. But EveryMac says my iMac will run 10.7. Who is right?

The downside is that it's a $20 gamble to find out if Lion improves your situation to your satisfaction.

If you were into Safari, Lion would enable you to run v 10, which is a great improvement over v 9, but...

Still, it's $20 or a new Mac, so...

More: According to Mactracker , any iMac that's upgradeable to Lion is 64 bit. Please tell us precisely which iMac you're running. (Yours appears to be a late 2006...possibly slightly newer.)

I don't mind a $20 gamble compared to $1000 or more for a new PC.

My DSL is 1.2 M so at that speed a 3.6GB download is about six to seven hours. In other words, I would probably ask someone I knew to download it for me.

From System Profiler:

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac5,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 3 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz

EveryMac:
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-2.0-17-inch-specs.html

Scroll down and click "Maximum OS"

According to MacTracker the Mid 2007 iMac with Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz processor (IMac7,1) will run up to MacOS 10.11.6 and can handle up to 6GB of RAM (actual) 4GB (Apple). A small investment could provide you with noticeable performance improvement and access to more modern internet software and protections.

CAVEAT: You would need to upgrade/update a LOT of software to jump that far forward in software time. So there will probably be other costs to get into the current time frame.

According to Mactracker, there are two iMac5,1s, the 17" and 20" Late 2006 models, both are 64 bit, and both max out at OS X 10.7.5 (and 3GB RAM). (The two sources are in agreement.)

I have the 17".

As you said, it's only 20 bucks.

And if Lion proves to be too slow, you may want to consider a Refurbished 2014 Mac Mini for a pretty nominal $419 (if, of course, you've already got a monitor and keyboard).

I had to chuckle a bit reading his thread. People tell me my early 2011, 17" MBPro is a dinosaur using "Sierra."

I'm not a pack rat, but I dislike disposing of something that still works.

Even if I had the money, I would still avoid the modern mentality that is the result of planned obsolescence, greed, boredom, and immaturity.

I don't lust for the new. I don't buy thoughtlessly or impulsively. I'm not Veruca Salt. I dislike indiscriminate piling up. I like things that are well-made, well-crafted, that last and endure. So did Apple, a long time ago, but not anymore. That's one reason why I'm done with Apple. Considering its financial success, I guess mine is a minority view.

It doesn't take an MBA or a computer science degree to know that if you compel people to buy your products every year or two, you're going to make a great deal of money.

This is the best computer I've ever owned. It's still fast. It still does what I want it to do. But it was hardly upgradeable. The biggest obstacle has been the internet. The internet forces us to keep current, as web sites change, browsers change, and security becomes more of a problem.

Aint that the truth!

On the other hand I love exploring the bleeding edges of evolving technology. To coin a phrase from Agtha Christie's fictional Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, it challenges me to "exercise my little grey cells" and keeps me from getting or at least feeling old. So I would always be trying the next "new" thing even without the spur of the internet. (FWIW I love my 2 day old iPhone X)

Geez....if you're a dinosaur, I wonder what they think about my 2.66 GHz early 2008 20" iMac (although I am able to run 10.11.6)

....and I always thought Grelber was the laggard at staying current but he too is three years ahead of me.

deniro's iMac is a Late 2006 model...10.7.5 max OS...more or less of a trilobite.

Thanks. Now I feel positively stylish.

Guess that NOW makes me a "Jet-setter" with my 2011.

I bought 10.7 but I was unable to download it.

In the App store program, when I entered the download code and clicked Redeem, I got the message "You must read and agree to the new Terms..." But there was nowhere on the page to do that. No click box, no button, nothing else on the screen to hit.

I spent an hour chatting online yesterday with Apple about...not much. She hardly addressed the problem. I lodged questions and possible ways for Apple to get me 10.7 and she knocked them down. Not only that, she refused to give me a refund. All sales are final. Great. That's how Apple treats a lifelong customer, with a thumb in the eye.

Her only suggestion was "Did you scroll down all the way?" I'm not a nitwit. But I wanted to make sure. Unfortunately, as is always the case, my Apple ID got rejected, and, as is always the case, I couldn't recover it from iforgot.apple.com. I had to use my Dell to do that. An obvious irony. I made sure to express my feelings about the current state of Apple computing. Of course, that doesn't matter so long as people buy iphones and ipads and use AppleMusic and ApplePay and AppleSucks.

The whole thing was so frustrating from the time I bought 10.7, to waiting for an email response, to having problems with ProtonMail, to waiting on the phone with Apple with no luck. On and on, then having it all amount to nothing, and me out twenty bucks. I expected a better experience. I didn't foresee the lack of a refund.

This was Apple pushing me further to buying a PC. There's a slim chance that I would keep using a Mac if I could find someone cheap, say $400 or under. But that would be short-term solution. If I can afford I would like to get a PC that is so fast I can cook an egg on it.

It's absurd. This computer is plenty fast and capable. But because of the internet and software obsolescence, I'm supposed to abandon it.

That's absurd, and I wouldn't settle for the answer you got unless you missed something clearcut when you purchased 10.7!

I can understand the sale being final if you blew it by overlooking a critical caveat, but tough luck because Apple's procedure won't work for you? UNACCEPTABLE!!! Your iMac supports 10.7, so what's the problem? (Personally, I'd burn up Apple's phone lines until I got an answer. Have you got an Apple store nearby?)


I'll again suggest a Refurbished Mac mini.

I'm pretty sure you've already got a keyboard, so if you can scare up a monitor you'll be good to go except for a cable or two to compensate for the Thunderbolt ports.

You'd probably be looking in the range of $500.

In many places now I'm finding there either is no Agree button, or it is disabled, and I have to scroll down. When I get past the acres of fine print, at the bottom will be the Agree button, or the Agree button that was always visible will suddenly enable.

$500 is too much. I can get a Dell for that. A Mac for $300 I might consider.

Yes, I plan to call Apple. There is an Apple store in town. Why can't they download it for me? They can but they won't.

There also seems to be some confusion, as I read others' complaints online, because there are two ways to access the Apple store. One with the App Store program, another through iTunes. I tried going through the iTunes store but it didn't work.

I suspect that you'll find something in the $300 range if you're willing to gamble on a used or non-Apple refurbished Mac. I doubt that you'd object to one that's not cutting edge, but a pig-in-a-poke, though...I dunno.

There's something wrong with this scenario; Apple sold you Lion, so it's incumbent on them to deliver it! (What if you bring your iMac to the Apple store and get them to troubleshoot your problem? My experience has been that they're pretty accommodating.)

More: L. A. Computer Company is pretty well reviewed. (Refurbished Mac Mini)

Have you got a clone that you can temporarily update to 10.6.8 to gain access to the App Store?

Another excellent point.

Yes, I could update my OS to 10.6.8 and see if that makes a difference. Yes I do have my current system cloned via SuperDuper to an external hard drive.

Thank your very much for the suggestion to upgrade to 10.6.8, because it worked. Apparently there were some adjustments to the App Store program. The difference was noticeable.

I used 10.7.5 long enough to know that it isn't for me. Two obstacles, big ones. One, the jagged font problem recurred. Two, 10.7.5 was very slow on my Mac, quite a bit slower, quite sluggish. Moreover, I was unimpressed by the changes to the OS in 10.7.5 and was happy to return to 10.6.7. So I didn't lose any money to Apple.

I'm convinced that the jagged font problem was caused by a couple local guys who fixed my screen many years ago when it had some dead pixels. They must have installed a nonstandard screen or chip, or perhaps dropped syrup on the motherboard, or did something else stupid to cause my fonts to render improperly.

Financial plans were adjusted yesterday when I was told that my dog has diabetes. There will be the cost of syringes and insulin, twice daily, more frequent visits to the vet, and probably canned food to replace the cheap Iams I've been giving him. He's been a healthy dog until now. I walk him every day. I feel bad for the little guy, but I'm going to do whatever is best for him.

Of course....it's the right decision.

Sorry to hear about your dog; just the sound of the word "diabetes" makes me cringe. I hope he fares better than my friends have.

Too bad about your screen! I wonder if your jagged font problem is maybe a combination of shoddy repair work + Apple optimization of OS X (because it did work through other updates/grades, didn't it)? The sluggishness is likely because of your minimal RAM...with which you're stuck.


You're supposed to see what you're missing and upgrade your Mac after you finish "ooohing" and "aaahing".

Well, if nothing else, at least they didn't beat you for $20.

Hmmm... I know you've played around with Linux, but have you tried running the Windows version you like on your Mac?

Interesting you should mention it. I did think about running Windows on this Mac because I have a licensed copy of Windows 7. I would like to try it. I hope I don't have to erase the hard drive again. I have to do some research.

I had to erase the hard drive when I was tinkering with 10.7 and in doing so erased Mint. I didn't use Mint much. Took a long time to boot. The interface was nice. I spent more time downloading and updating it than using it. For me Linux is a step backwards. It's a niche OS for highly motivated hobbyists with fast internet access. When to comes to troubleshooting, you are more or less on your own. People online have different experiences because they have different versions of Linux. So troubleshooting Linux, for me, was almost impossible. That part of it is a mess.

But Mint does work on my Mac. Fonts rendered well, YouTube played well, Firefox ran well but there weren't many extensions. Mint was quicker and more responsive than 10.7 by far, and that was 32-bit Mint. Wireless printing worked from the start, which shocked me. Mint takes a long time to get going but once you get it set up properly it does work, within many limitations. The biggest drawback is lack of software. Open source software is hit or miss. Mostly miss.

Unless you formatted your boot drive APFS you should be okay.

Just noticed this concern. I have a number of comments regarding same but they don't belong in this forum. Please switch over to the Lounge under the thread Canine Diabetes.