:Babbling of funkytoad

Hi again folks - Hoster v3.5 beta 2 is ready for your downloading pleasure.

Fixed: Hoster “does the right thing” when used with a Dual-monitor setup.
Changes:
-Hoster now checks the status of the DNSClient Service before downloading a Hosts file. User will be told if Service is running and Download will be cancelled.

-More informative ok/cancel message when downloading Hosts files.

-Interface changed slightly due to removal of donation and
Gladiator Security Forum links. They are now under ”Help” (which used to be ”about”)

-Changed Super Cheesie Application Icon to a Semi-cheesie Icon which i fashioned with the help of some rolaids. All jokes regarding the icon must be accompanied by an Icon you made, that you think I should use

To Do:
-Perhaps more slight interface changes.
-Update the help file (not included with the beta, so you won’t see the item under “help”)
-And I am sort of in a slight holding pattern because of the potential for the HpHosts link to change due to the recent passing of the guard at hosts-file.net

All comments, suggestions and criticisms welcome. Please read previous post if you have not tried beta 1.

http://www.funkytoad.com/download/Hoster35b2.zip

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Howdy folks - It’s time to kick Hoster up a notch.

New in v3.5:

• -Downloading hosts files via Hoster
• -Whitelist function
• -DNS client service check
• -Better memory management, and improved speed.
• -Added “Delete Selected / Add to whitelist” button and menu item.

Changes

• -”Memopad” is made available only if running on an NT based machine (win2000 and >). Win9x machines can not display files larger than 64kb, so to stay out of trouble it is disabled for the older OS’s.

Download < 267kb - No Install, Just put in it's own directory and run. Simply delete it to "uninstall".

Download Hoster35b1.zip - http://www.funkytoad.com/download/Hoster35b1.zip
OK - let’s have a closer look -

the Download Menu:

Here we have hard coded links to MVPs Hosts, and HPhosts files.

• -Merge - merges the downloaded file with your current hosts file
• -Replace - simply replaces your current hosts with the downloaded file.

Hoster will download the selected Zip file, extract the appropriate file, replace or merge, then clean up its tracks neatly. The downloaded file and the extracted hosts file are gone forever. So - if you want a clean copy of MVPsHosts, you would need to use the download-replace function. Then open in MemoPad and “Save-as” etc.

Downloads can be cancelled while in the downloading process, i.e. If you think you connection is funky or it seems one of the websites is slow etc. Hit “Cancel download”.

The Whitelist crux:

• -Remove whitelist items deletes the items in your whitelist from your current hosts file.
• -Add whitelist items - put your items back into your hosts file.
• -View/edit opens your white list up, here you can manually edit/paste/copy/delete/add etc. items to your whitelist.
• -Delete Selected/add to whitelist button and menu item does just what it says.

Simple eh? Ok, Hoster creates a file called whitelist.txt which resides in the same place as Hoster.exe You can edit it with notepad if you’d prefer.

Finally, check to see if your DNSclient service is running, or not:

If you are running win9x thru WinME the menu item will not be present. This is just meant to be a simple check on the DNS service - which should NOT be running if you are about to fire up a 2 meg hosts file.
Comments and bug reporting are welcome here (add a comment) or through “Contact funkytoad” at www.funkytoad.com .

I will entertain all suggestions but know that at the end of the day hoster will remain simple, small and a standalone exe. So hoster will never do your floors and wash the car
-enjoy

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