Ban from accessing websites

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.

Ben

Posted 2009-10-27T16:54:17.127

Reputation: 237

Compare answers to the other (very similar) questions under "procrastination" tag. – Tadeusz A. Kadłubowski – 2009-12-26T11:21:38.643

Answers

%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?

Phoshi

Posted 2009-10-27T16:54:17.127

Reputation: 22 001

Though I would also recomment OpenDNS. – Josh K – 2009-10-27T17:03:39.197

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 – 2009-10-27T17:06:26.913

Thanks, exactly. Wouldn't be superuser though. :) – Ben – 2009-10-27T17:09:59.997

1There'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 :) – None – 2009-10-27T20:29:11.530

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 – 2009-10-27T20:34:42.687

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.

Jeanne Pindar

Posted 2009-10-27T16:54:17.127

Reputation: 262

Leechblock is great. The only trouble is that you have to be sure you don't use any other browsers than Firefox. – Matthew Lock – 2009-10-28T03:20:34.527

Easy : Use Firefox with AdBlock (Plus) and ban these sites.

harrymc

Posted 2009-10-27T16:54:17.127

Reputation: 306 093

1A website without images is still a website :\ – Phoshi – 2009-10-27T17:27:57.293

2AdBlock Plus does NOT block only images. – CarlF – 2009-10-27T17:33:17.220

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 – 2009-10-27T18:36:42.787

AdBlock Plus is now completely parametrable. – harrymc – 2009-10-27T21:52:37.087

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.

Lee B

Posted 2009-10-27T16:54:17.127

Reputation: 1 127

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

Matthew Lock

Posted 2009-10-27T16:54:17.127

Reputation: 4 254

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. – Michael Kohne – 2009-10-28T02:12:58.633

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. – Matthew Lock – 2009-10-28T03:19:41.190