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What is Javascript?
Javascript is a programming language that can interact with the user (you) and instruct your browser to behave in certain ways. Most famously, it annoys people browsing the web with pop-ups (although this has been curtailed in recent years).
Why does your website need Javascript?
Worksheet Genius contains a lot of dynamic content - by which I mean that the contents of each page changes each time you view it (as opposed to static web pages, which never change). The website uses Javascript to make sense of this changing information, and to ensure any data entered by the user (you) makes sense. It also uses Javascript to sort tables of information into alphabetical order, create visual effects, and streamline the browsing experience (whatever that means).
Are there any security risks associated with turning on Javascript?
As with any programming language, yes, but Javascript cannot read, write or delete anything on your computer, and as such cannot plant a virus on your system, nor steal any data stored on your machine. In fact, most browsers are so confident they come with Javascript enabled by default.
Isn’t the first law of unobtrusive Javascript that “content should still be available without any Javascript code?” ie. shouldn’t your web page degrade gracefully into simple HTML?
Yes, but I’ve broken that law with thuggish abandon.
I’d like to damn your impertinence, but I sure like the sound of your worksheets. Hmmm. How do I turn Javascript on?
Depends on your browser.
- Internet Explorer: Click on “Tools” in the menu bar, then “Internet Options”. Click on the “Security” tab at the top of the new window, then on the “Custom level” button in the “Security level for this zone” box. In the next window, scroll down the list of settings, and right near the bottom your will see a “Scripting” section. Next to “Active scripting”, click on the “Enable” radio button. Also make sure that the “Scripting of Java applets” is enabled, because this site uses those as well.
- Mozilla Firefox: Click on “Tools” in the menu bar, then “Options”. Click on “Content” (or “Web features”) on the tab at the top of the new window, and make sure a tick is in the “Enable Javascript” check box. This site also requires Java, so you may as well put a tick in the “Enable Java” box as well.
- Opera: Click on “Tools” in the menu bar, then “Quick Preferences”, and then make sure a tick is next to “Enable Javascript”. As this site also requires Java, it may be as well to also place a tick next to “Enable Java” whilst you’re at it.
- Safari: Select “Safari” from the menu, and choose “Preferences”. Now select “Security” on select the “Enable Javascript” check box. This site also requires Java, so if you want to view any worksheets, you’ll need to tick the “Enable Java” tick box as well.
I see you keep banging on about Java. Is Java anything to do with Javascript?
You’d think so, but no. They’re completely unrelated; however, this site uses both.
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