Feb 18

Going JavaScript-less?

How many people actually shut off JavaScript in their browsers? In the Web development world, you’re constantly advised not to depend on JavaScript because “[insert double-digit percentage here] of Web surfers shut off JavaScript.”

I have never known someone who shut off JavaScript. I have used a lot of computers in my life — many not my own — and never in one case have I noticed that JavaScript was intentionally disabled. I have never had anyone I know tell me that they shut off JavaScript to solve a problem. I have never even been remotely tempted to do this myself.

Is there anyone out there who has actually shut off JavaScript in their browser? Can you tell us why?

by Deane   February 18, 2004 12:09 AM   |
  tags: 
JavaScript

Comments

by Matt,   February 18, 2004 8:51 AM  

Back around 97 or 98, we were doing some work for a state agency and their default installation of Navigator had JavaScript turned off. They were even anti-cookie because of the all the early hype about random scenarios that have never been proven true.

by Bob,   February 18, 2004 9:22 AM  

In Mozilla/Fire*, I turn off various aspects of Javascript, such as window resizing, etc., because I simply despise web sites that resize my browser, pop uninvited windows, change the text in the status bar, etc.

by Matt,   February 18, 2004 10:09 AM  

There's a lot of scared/ignorant users out there. The other day, someone I work with told me they disabled JavaScript on their browser to keep from getting viruses. This person also refuses to use any browser newer than Netscape 4. Whats more, my former boss disables image rendering in his browser because he read somewhere that viruses can be embedded into them. sigh

by Philipp Lenssen,   February 18, 2004 3:13 PM  

I replied here: http://blog.outer-court.com/archive/20040218_index.html#107713844666262780

by Doug Thacker,   February 21, 2004 12:27 PM  

I regularly surf the web on my Nokia 3650 mobile. (In fact I'm "on the phone" right now.) Using the Opera mobile browser on the fly (as opposed to being tethered to a bulky box) is a treat - just so long as you keep Java turned off. Something of a memory hog. Not a problem on the desk or the lap. But a real pain in the palm. The Java stigmata.

by Adam Mciz,   March 12, 2004 4:00 PM  

I would guess that people who turn off Java Script do so because alot of pop ups are done with it. I'm farely certain security risks are there too, although I've never written anything to test that

by Omar Khan,   March 18, 2004 11:33 PM  

Note that there is a difference between Java and Javascript.

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