Question About Noscript

Well I have a really basic question about the Noscript FireFox extension that may seem rather stupid (I don't know much about this). I've heard about Noscript and its flexibility is very useful, but this is probably the only problem I have left before deciding whether I should use it or not opposed to just keeping javascript off on FireFox (I don't really use javascript functions a lot on sites).

Anyway, I've heard from people that generally disabling Javascript slows down your browsing speed slightly, so I was wondering-- does the Noscript extension provide any internet browsing speed decreasements at all? If so, is it rated as: significant, mild, barely noticeable, or basically none ? And finally, if it did have any sort of slow down, would it be rated by: worse, a tiny bit more, or basically the same compared to just plainly disabling javascript in FireFox?

 

i have yet to notice any slowdown from using NoScript. i have 1536/384 DSL.

as for using the extension vs disabling javascript, its mostly ur choice. i actually do use JS, so NoScript makes more sense.

its also easy to access from the status bar and with it, u can also disable java, flash, and "other plugins"

 

First check these settings - mouse path : Tools/Options.../Content/
Mark Enable Java
Mark Enable JavaScript

Install extension NoScript
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/722/

After that you are ready and the "S" icon allows you to navigate NoSript.

If it slows down your surfing, simply uninstall it.
I never noticed any slowdown.

 

Hi SwordOfSecurity,

Many websites are constructed using JavaScript, and I have found that upon entering a website that I previously visited but only temporarily approved (one of the features of NoScript allows you to either approve or temporarily approve a website), I need to decide again, so this decision process can potentially slow up the download of a webpage (i.e. if you don't catch it right away - that's the slowness of the human for you), but only because it restarts the load whereas you may or may not get the whole webpage downloaded otherwise if you don't at least temporarily approve it. Note: NoScript warns you that Allowing all scripts globally is dangerous.

I would not recommend keeping JavaScript off in Firefox - its not you that uses JavaScript at websites its the website that uses it, and if your browser doesn't you won't be able to get a good rendering of the website page.

One thing I do however to avoid the byte-verify bug is to turn off the Java cache which defeats it from exploiting your computer.

Disabling Javascript probably doesn't speed up browsing speed because JavaScript rendering (at your computer) is more related to how fast your computer gets it to process it, whereas your browsing speed may be more related to available network bandwidth and connection speed at the time of your browsing.

I would rate it barely noticeable to basically none.

If you did have a slow down it would not be related to NoScript, or JavaScript, but more likely congestion on bandwidth (if you are on a high speed DSL/cable connection). Same story for dialup at 56k which is inherently slower anyway.

-- Tom

 

Thanks for the input guys, it was interesting and informative! I guess I'll install Noscript now.

 

In fact, disabling javascripts (cookies, flash and etc) speed up browsing.

 

True. Noscript made my browsing much faster to be honest with you. Which is half the reason why I use it! :-D

 

Hello,
In my experience, things are much faster with noscript.
Mrk

 

Things may appear to be much faster with noscript, however, the question is always going to be if the webpage renders fully without approving a webpage at least temporarily.

-- Tom

 

Many websites do NOT work properly, when NoScript is installed, unless you approve the webpage at least temporarily witn NoScript.
That's why NoScript can be very annoying, especially when you are visiting legitimate websites with javascripts.
The good guys always have to pay for the sins of the bad guys.

 

How do you turn off the cache?

I'm not clear on what you meant by this; does this prevent all Javascript exploits?

 

Step 1. Check to see if you have the latest version of Sun Java installed.

Starting with a command prompt window, test the version of Sun Java you have installed by issuing the command: java -version
If it is not the latest version stable release, i.e. "1.5.0_06", then you need to uninstall whatever version you have and install that version. Note: all versions of Microsoft Java Virtual Machine are obsolete and not supported.

Get it here: * Java Runtime Environment Download
http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp <- 16MB download (use it)
http://www.java.com/en/download/windows_xpi.jsp (v5.0 Update6)
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/download.jsp (reqs Sun Download Mgr)

Step 2. Bring up the Java Control Panel

Ok, with that done (only if you don't already have it), then
Start>Java>brings up the Java Control Panel.
From the General tab, select Settings button in the Temporary Internet Files area. Then click on the View Applets button to bring up the Java Applet Cache Viewer. Uncheck the Enable Caching box. Maybe (dunknow) click on Refresh - probably won't hurt anything. Click Ok to exit window. Next, click Ok to exit Temporary File Settings. And lastly, but not least, click the Apply button in the lower right-hand corner of the Java Control Panel, and then Ok to exit it. Done.

With regard to your second question, i.e. does it prevent all JavaScript exploits? I only know that disabling the Java cache will not allow the Java applet exploit that is associated with Java-ByteVerify exploit to run. It was commonly associated with the Microsoft Java VM (Virtual Machine), but now that that is obsolete, having a Java cache enabled will allow the exploit to infest your computer unless you have a good AV that will catch and quarantine against it. Even though I have had that, sometimes the websites I visited were less than reliable and tried to do a drive-by implantation - but, having the cache disabled will prevent that. I would rather not get infested than see every d**n little applet trick on the Internet.

As for JavaScript exploit protection - that's what NoScript will help to prevent, and it takes some getting used to, but I'm quite happy with it.

-- Tom