Credits *

Many thanks go out to the dedicated and numerous people who endure the tireless work of providing the lists and files that ConFetch uses. We try to acknowledge them further in the credits below. Take a well-deserved bow, Folks, and keep up the good work!

ChangeDetection Notification: Get notified by email when a ConFetch source file is updated! You can safely receive private notifications from ChangeDetection.com when your favorite HOSTS files or other lists are updated by following these instructions below.

Make your own ConFetch Modifications:

Advanced users can create their own script for a particular HOSTS file or other list to use with your version of ConFetch Ultra. Simply locate the ConFetch Folder icon in the program's icon group (select Start, select (All) Programs, select ConFetch, select ConFetch Folder) to access the ConFetch files. Write your own Windows NT Command Script based on a similar existing component and name it "new.cmd". Make sure it's in the ConFetch folder and run ConFetch Ultra... You can even write your own uploading script for your favorite FTP command-line application - just name it "ftpup_do.cmd"! (Those files will be called by "cfstart.cmd" in the ConFetch Folder.)

Thanks!

TreeWalk DNS:

TreeWalk DNS is first and foremost on our credit list, because we'd have to find another DNS platform if it didn't exist!
Kudos to ObiWan and co-developer NT Canuck for providing such a useful program, to the TWDNS Crew and all the Beta Testers too.
An additional thank you to ObiWan for his h2b.vbs (Hosts to BIND Visual Basic script), which was adapted for multiple usage throughout ConFetch.

Donations:

Most list providers have to pay for their bandwidth! Site operators that depend on donations to "stay alive" are marked below with [Donations accepted]. If you like the services they provide whether you use ConFetch or not, please consider donating to them. If a site you like does not advertise for donations, try contacting them privately if you wish to send some appreciation their way. The same logic can be applied to any tools used by ConFetch. These are listed further below, under "Utilities".

Ad Blocker Sources:

Peter Lowe's regularly updated Ad Server Blocker list (Null Zone File format) - peteblock.cmd [Donations accepted]
Mike's Ad Blocking HOSTS file (no longer online) is currently hosted on a mirror site and will be replaced when a reliable list is found (HOSTS format) - mikehosts.cmd
Emerging Threats' regularly updated RBN Exploit Domains (Text format) - bleedblock.cmd - replaces Bleeding Edge Threats' RBN Blackhole list.

HOSTS File Sources:

hpHosts' maintained, huge hpHosts' HOSTS file (HOSTS format) - hpguru.cmd (or hp.cmd for ConFetch Ultra) [Donations accepted]
MVPS HOST's maintained, large MVPS HOSTS file (HOSTS format) - mvps.cmd
From Dan Pollock's site we use the maintained "Dan Pollock's HOSTS file" (HOSTS format) - danhosts.cmd
Peter Lowe's maintained "Peter Lowe's HOSTS File" (HOSTS format) - petehosts.cmd [Donations accepted]
ConFetch PRO (and LSE) only:
Bluetack's maintained "Bluetack's HOSTS File" (HOSTS format) - bt.cmd [Donations accepted] This has grown to be a formidable list and precludes the necessity of a replacement for the discontinued "Bluemicro" file for ConFetch PRO and LSE.
Bluemicro's HOSTS File is no longer supported (January 16, 2008). If you have this file in your version of ConFetch, the ConFetch Updater script will remove it from your system.

Miscellaneous Sources:

General Spammer Block List, formally the Google Safe Browsing List from Google (List format) - gsbl.cmd - June 3, 2009: note that this file is used exclusively in the "Ultra" version of ConFetch. It still requests the original page from Google in the hope they'll re-instate usage for everyone, but this ConFetch Ultra component currently downloads a comprehensive list of known spammer domains instead.
DNS Poisoners List 2007 from the Measurement-Factory (List format) - poisoners.cmd - January 16, 2008: a formatted text version of this file has been mirrored until it becomes available again.
The unaggregated List of Bogon IPs from the Team Cymru site (CIDR Bit Notation format) - bogons.cmd
WebHelper's site. We use the regularly updated CoolWebSearch "CWS Alpha Sort" (List format) - wh4ucws.cmd Note: new file and site location, July 2006.
MicroSoft Boot File from David Glosser's site (Text format) - bleedboot.cmd - this file has recently moved from the old Bleeding Snort's site (now Bleeding Edge Threats).

Utilities:

GNU utilities (UnxUtils)
GNU Wget
GNU Wget direct download for the version ConFetch uses.
UnZip 5.52 from Info-ZIP is currently used for deflating ".zip" files in 64-bit systems with ConFetch Ultra.
(unzip.exe MD5: 75375C22C72F1BEB76BEA39C22A1ED68)
ConFetch may use additional UnxUtils executables or add other well-known tools for either 32-bit or 64-bit versions of Windows. Refer to your particular version of ConFetch for details.

Thanks to Others:

Thanks to "Mark V" for his encouragement and Batch Command Language prowess during the initial development of the ConFetch Concept.
Thank you to Jim Byrd for his useful HOSTS file dissertation on the TreeWalk forums (note that ConFetch now has it's own groups there too). Jim's is the second article in that thread.
To Go Daddy for free hosting with any domain name purchase. Their service also provides us with a method to test ConFetch: "If you see the ads at the top of this page, you're NOT using ConFetch!" (ConFetch blocks the adserver by default.)
We can't forget some testers either: Ivor, npr, </hate>, Dale, Jim Byrd, pharrisire, Level 13, Ezhik (for their suggestions and reports). They've helped to make ConFetch a better plug-in for TreeWalkers everywhere.

The ConFetch Concept:

To provide excellent DNS and effective blocking of any site you might want to avoid through the use of TreeWalk and a ConFetch Plug-in.
To offer networks that use individual HOSTS files for every machine an alternative by using TreeWalk and ConFetch on a single computer.
To give Windows 2000 (and newer) users an acceptable variety for implementation of DNS blocking to match their environment.
To initiate a server-friendly alternative for popular sites to avoid excessive bandwidth consumption from networks that may really only need one copy of their HOSTS file or list.
To allow some HOSTS file users another way to safely and efficiently blacklist notorious domains.
To never block a site that should not be blocked. If you ever find that this is the case, please provide us with an ample description including the domain name and the reason you think it should not be blocked. ((ConFetch even includes a mechanism for users to unblock sites locally)).

ChangeDetection Notification: Get notified by email when a ConFetch source file is updated, or when a new ConFetch program file or component becomes available! You can be safely and privately notified by ChangeDetection.com when your favorite HOSTS files or other lists are updated. You can also use the service to receive emails for changes to the ConFetch "Change Log" page, where updates and upgrades will always be listed. All versions of ConFetch list their sources and the authors' sites. You should only need to right-click and copy any link to obtain the URL you'll need to enter into the ChangeDetection form(s). Make sure to do this for every file you want to be notified about and to use the link for the actual files, not the authors' sites! ((You only need to subscribe for changes to the "Change Log" page for any new CF announcements.))

Minimum Requirements: Pentium III 500 MHz processor with 128 MB RAM (or equivalent - 256 MB preferred). If you run one of these with XP, you probably already realize it can be a slower machine so it's strongly suggested to start with the Basic version of ConFetch. Read the rest of this site and especially the FAQ page and the additional prerequisite info before you use ConFetch on an older, slower machine to decide if it's useful for you!

Would you like to help out?

Well, you could run the "ConFetch Information Tool" you'll find in the ConFetch Tools folder in the Programs menu and attach your results to an email! Your email info will never be used for anything other than for ConFetch development: support@confetch.com. Do not adjust the subject line or delivery may fail! ((If you don't want your email info stored on the server, just mention in the message body that you'd like it deleted after the attachment has been saved.))

"Surf safely!" -- the TWDNS Crew

* Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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