I used to be a Noscript user, but I just got sick and tired of clicking 2-3x as much as usual, just to get every page to load correctly. Normal process:
-Page loads, great
-Click on something but it doesn't respond
-Shit, probably JS
-Click NoScript, see a list of sites
=This is where is really gets good=
-Stare at the list of sites noscript is blocking on the page, arbitrarily unblock one that 'seems' like it would be hosting the code that runs the thing I'm trying to fix, based only on domain name
-Refresh the page, try clicking that thing again, if it doesn't work, repeat the process
I wasted many hours of my life on that process, and what did I gain from it? Security? Not really, since I would randomly enable sites to run JS. So I uninstalled it. Worst case scenario, I get a virus and have to reformat, and lose an hour or two. I don't have any important data on my hard drive.
So, Noscripters, are you guys just really concerned about security or is it a psychological thing - as in, it feels good to be able to be the boss of your browser and tell sites whether or not they can run JS?
Odds are I don't care enough about your site to Like, +1, or Tweet it.
Odds are I don't really intend to purchase a BMW, meet hot singles, or reserve a room at Days Inn based on a display ad.
If I care enough about your site to click on something and it doesn't work, I might allow scripts to run but I have to want to see what your site has. Each round of allowing scripts increases the odds I will navigate away. Clicking to allow javascript doesn't bother me because most of the web is a waste of time to begin with and Noscript makes me more selective.
Websites which rely on javascript essentially ask me, "Do you really want to look at this." Much of the time, the answer is no.
I run Pentadactyl with a Noscript integration addon, so enabling domains is extremely fast. Considering the slowness that JS often adds to a page - particularly on my slowish laptop - I'd say I still save time.
Then I get the benefits of security and not being tracked everywhere I go.
As a Pentadactyl (after Vimperator after Conkeror) and NoScript devotee, I just wanted to thank you for bringing the integration addon to my attention. I had no idea that was even an option. For anyone else wondering, it can be found here:
I don't find it that difficult to work out which items need unblocked, TBH. If I can't immediately tell, a brief dabble with the document inspector usually reveals it.
I ran it for a while mostly as an educational thing: I wanted this big subterranean mass of Stuff that goes on whenever I load a webpage to be more visible to me, and to understand what's happening. Why does this site load 10 files from 4 different domains? What are they doing? As an added bonus I could reduce third-party tracking's effectiveness by not loading their JS.
As a less-intrusive compromise, I use Ghostery now, which lets me zoom in on a lot of the common third-party JS without cluttering the view with "normal" stuff like jquery and friends, because they keep a curated list.
-Page loads, great
-Click on something but it doesn't respond
-Shit, probably JS
-Click NoScript, see a list of sites
=This is where is really gets good=
-Stare at the list of sites noscript is blocking on the page, arbitrarily unblock one that 'seems' like it would be hosting the code that runs the thing I'm trying to fix, based only on domain name
-Refresh the page, try clicking that thing again, if it doesn't work, repeat the process
I wasted many hours of my life on that process, and what did I gain from it? Security? Not really, since I would randomly enable sites to run JS. So I uninstalled it. Worst case scenario, I get a virus and have to reformat, and lose an hour or two. I don't have any important data on my hard drive.
So, Noscripters, are you guys just really concerned about security or is it a psychological thing - as in, it feels good to be able to be the boss of your browser and tell sites whether or not they can run JS?