Stilly -

I've had the Google toolbar (basic one - there are several) for quite some time, and the popup blocker does work quite well. When I got the WinXP popup blocker though, it essentially quit doing much. The Windows thing was originally a beta, now included I think with SP2 but definitely with IE7.

There is a very slight difference in criteria between the two blockers, so a very few items that were passed by the Windows blocker have been blocked by the Google one. (The "count" has changed on the Google bar.) That does show that they're both still working I guess. I wasn't watching too closely, but I think it probably happened when I told the Windows blocker to allow popups for a single visit a couple of times at a site that tends to stall and wait for you to give the permission - and that I knew was "mostly harmless."

I keep the Google toolbar because it's handy for searching. I'll agree its blocker is pretty good, but nothing much ever gets that far anymore.

John