[1lacca]

So here is my problem: sometimes I like to play a game when I develop a software at home (usually at night) because it helps to keep me awake, and sometimes you get fresh ideas if you don't concentrate on the problem for a few minutes. Last time when I played UT, it was lagging like hell, although my ping was very fine. I was coming up with very creative ideas about what I'm going to do to my ISP, but suddenly I've realized, that some badly written Flash adverts keep bugging the CPU even when the browser was minimized.
Is there a way in windows to reduce/stop this effect? I remember a setting if I want to optimize my computer as a desktop computer or a server that might have to do something with things related to this - probably boosting the priority of the task running in the foreground - but it is definitely not aggressive enough. Are the settings it uses can be finetuned in the registry, or is there a tool that can fix this?
If there isn't I've looked at the Windows API, and it would be quite easy to hook all minimize window events and (practically if the given application is in / or not in a list) set it's priority to idle - or remove it from the scheduling, and when it get's a restore window event restore it's original priority. So I might write this application, but I just don't feel like it until somebody can confirm that it is not possible in some easier way.

[William_Wilson]

Firefox + NoScript extension =

I use it to stop any unwanted flash object from loading without my permission.

You could also use the Grease Monkey Extension with a script to remove the ads which bother you.

[1lacca]

Yes, I forgot to write that I would like a general solution, I am aware of flash/ad blocker plugins and addons, but this problem can be caused by a bunch of other applications as well, not just that damned flash...

And I am aware of the fact, that my -proposed- solution is quite possibly an overkill.