JavaScript is a programming language for the World Wide Web. JavaScript programs are downloaded along with Web pages and run on your computer. Web programmers can include JavaScript programs to make using their Web pages easier. JavaScript can enable links, edit data, help you fill in forms, and do many other useful things. Most complex sites, like Internet e-commerce and banking sites, use JavaScript.
JavaScript is fundamentally safe. The programmers who designed JavaScript deliberately omitted the ability to write to your disk or do other things that could damage your computer. JavaScript has been abused to open unwanted windows or change the page you're viewing in unwanted ways. These things are annoying, but not truly damaging. Modern browsers intercept and prevent the worst of the annoyances.
However, in Microsoft Internet Explorer only, enabling JavaScript also enables VB Script, Microsoft's proprietary Web scripting language. VB Script does not have the inherent safety features of JavaScript. For that reason, if you use Internet Explorer,you may want to leave VB Script (and JavaScript) turned off unless you need it. Only Internet Explorer can run VB Script programs within the browser. If you use any browser other than Internet Explorer, you do not need to worry about this.
The first thing you must do is determine the browser and version you are using to surf the Web. In the command bar at the extreme top of the browser window, click "Help" and select "About." The "About" panel will tell you the name and version of your browser.
Windows: Mozilla Firefox 1.0 and above
Windows: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x and above
Windows: Netscape 4.7 and above
The first thing you must do is determine the browser version you are using to surf the Web. In the command bar at the extreme top of the browser window, click program name at the left (e.g. Safari) and select "About." The "About" panel will tell you the version of your browser.
Macintosh OS X: Internet Explorer
Macintosh OS X: Netscape 7.1
Macintosh OS 9 and below: Internet Explorer 5 and above
These were tested under SuSE Linux, but should work the same way under other distributions.
Linux: Mozilla 5.0 Firefox 1.5.0.4
Linux: Konqueror 3.5.1
Linux: Mozilla 5.0 SeaMonkey 1.0.2
Linux Epiphany 1.8.5
Help us improve these instructions. If you spot errors, or you have instructions for a browser not listed here, please send us a note:
This page last updated: 2006-07-30 23:48
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