blue font words and phrases

Don,

It isn't FSM.  It is most likely a third-party add-on to your browser, maybe from a virus, but probably from a software update that something bundled with it and a check-box you had to uncheck to not get the "extra" software. I personally despise the "opt-out" extra software bundling.  I'm okay with a software download that asks you if you want extra stuff, but not the ones that you have to look carefully to not get the extra stuff.

Your browser should have a way to show you a list of browser add-ons and give you the option to disable them.

Paul

Hmm, I've not seen these blue font thingies...

Malware most likely.

Are you sure they are not hyperlinks that posters have renamed, Don?  I do that myself occasionally (not here, yet), and saw one again this morning.

If you hover over the hyperlink, you should see the html address somewhere in your browser window (in Firefox, it's at the lower left), so you can see where you are being redirected before you click.

It is a browser plugin installed together with some kind of software, like Paul mentioned already. I don't know which browser you are using, but you can turn the plugin off in the browser settings.

I had the same issue with Firefox recently; there was a hilite on words or word combinations called Tuvalo that wanted me to go to related links, and then another one appeared on photos that directed me to other, similar photos. Very annoying! There was no way to remove these "features" in a dialogue box or control panel. Firefox Help told me to remove and reinstall itself, and had a workaround to save bookmarks and other customizations - worked fine, and no more problems.

Hope this helps, Don!

Mike

Don,

Yeah, if you're talking about the seemingly random words that get underlined, those are part of a software update (browser, Java, Adobe . . . who knows) that got bundled in . You may or may not have had the option of unchecking a box at the time of said update, preventing them. You could kill them by basically un-installing any optional software in your machine and then re-install, manually approving or rejecting every step along the way. Or just ignore them, but they're probably slowing things down.

Apparently I misunderstood the problem. Sorry.

I am getting so mad at those updates for accessories like Java, Reader, and such, that weasel in those new "accessories", changes to my browser!  Looks like I didn't catch them all.  I try to never use those but one must have gotten through.  They are pissing a lot of us off and giving people like Adobe a bad reputation!

Be aware that everytime JAVA wants to update itself it will install the Ask toolbar UNLESS you uncheck it.

Yes, that one I did catch.  I wonder how many search engines people push at you that way. I have certainly noticed a bunch.