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I tend to procrastinate a lot and hate myself for it. There are certain websites that I find myself losing the most time on, and doesn't even bring me that much entertainment anyway.

How do I ban them from all browsers as to give myself yet another obstacle when my brain is bored.

Thanks.

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  • Compare answers to the other (very similar) questions under "procrastination" tag. Dec 26, 2009 at 11:21

5 Answers 5

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%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Open that and edit it:

127.0.0.1 SuperUser.com

Would point SuperUser.com to localhost - "blocking" it. Not infallible, but my guess is you're just looking for something to make you think "I should do some work", right?

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  • Though I would also recomment OpenDNS.
    – Josh K
    Oct 27, 2009 at 17:03
  • I would too, but this method is at least easy enough to comment out the lines to regain access without having to wait for page loads and so.
    – Phoshi
    Oct 27, 2009 at 17:06
  • Thanks, exactly. Wouldn't be superuser though. :)
    – Ben
    Oct 27, 2009 at 17:09
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    There's no place like 127.0.0.1, i would upvote you right away if you you had only used something like this instead: 127.0.0.1 myspace.com .. JK +1 :)
    – Molly7244
    Oct 27, 2009 at 20:29
  • Haha, maybe it's just me but SU is so much more addicting than MySpace ever was. Maybe because I hated myspace with a passion, btu who knows! :D
    – Phoshi
    Oct 27, 2009 at 20:34
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There's a Firefox add on called LeechBlock for just that purpose, and it has options to allow you to block access only at certain times of day, only after a time limit, etc. etc.

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  • Leechblock is great. The only trouble is that you have to be sure you don't use any other browsers than Firefox. Oct 28, 2009 at 3:20
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Easy : Use Firefox with AdBlock (Plus) and ban these sites.

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  • 1
    A website without images is still a website :\
    – Phoshi
    Oct 27, 2009 at 17:27
  • 2
    AdBlock Plus does NOT block only images.
    – CarlF
    Oct 27, 2009 at 17:33
  • Does it not? I've blocked entire domains before and got an image free version, though that was a good while ago. Has this changed?
    – Phoshi
    Oct 27, 2009 at 18:36
  • AdBlock Plus is now completely parametrable.
    – harrymc
    Oct 27, 2009 at 21:52
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On Linux, Dansguardian can do this, if I remember correctly.

On either platform, the best solution [ self-discipline and willpower failing --- they really shouldn't ;) ] is probably to create a username-work account. On Linux, you can use PAM to enforce login times, so the work account is the only one available 9-5, and the other is the only one available evenings/weekends.

Once you have that, then there is a choice to make. Choose one of:

  • specifically allow that account to run work-related programs, or deny it from running non-work programs. You can do this using groups and file permissions and such on linux, or SELinux. Or, on Windows, you can do it with active directory and group policy.

  • Just delete the icons etc. for programs that account shouldn't run as a "soft" limit or discouragement rather than implementing full security.

  • A combination of both of these.

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You could implement Paul Graham's solution and get 2 computers. One for working on with no net connection, and another with a net connection for internet surfing http://www.paulgraham.com/distraction.html

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  • You know, I'm so used to having a net connection to look stuff up on that I'm not sure I can work without one anymore. It's just so much easier to Google for stuff than to try to sort through the man pages that I almost always go for a browser these days. Oct 28, 2009 at 2:12
  • You can still look things up on Google, you just have to go over to the other computer to do it. That will slow you down a little, but it will also slow down your procrastination so you gain a productivity benefit overall. Oct 28, 2009 at 3:19

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