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Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

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Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

#1
In 2013 gov.uk did a test to see how many people received ran their site's javascript[1].

They found that for 1.1% of visitors the javascript didn't run.

0.9% was because of errors — network errors, browser-extensions breaking the code, a mobile user going through a tunnel.

0.2% was people who actively blocked javascript.

I'm writing an small article about making sure websites work for that 0.2%.

1. https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2013/10/21/how-many-people-are-missing-out-on-javascript-enhancement/

Re: Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

#2
if i have a relationship of trust with you i will let you run _your script_ on >myabusive script, dark patterning and subversion of autonomy are major issues.

im hunching that .2% is a portion of machines that are in such a security stance that you have little hope of getting any of them to convert to allowing JS

Re: Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

#3
What percentage of your development effort will you budget to serve that 0.2% client? Would it be more than 4 hours a year? How much extra support would the types of clients who actively turn off JavaScript require? How much extra business will these types of clients generate or influence?

I am not saying it is not worth the effort, but I am saying you should clearly set expectations and measure to be sure that this juice is worth the squeeze. If your motivation is because it is the "right thing" to do and not because you can quantify that the effort is worth it, then it almost certainly is not. On the other hand, your business analysis might show that this type of client is 10x more likely to subscribe/buy your product and supporting them is a no brainer.

Note, that I am assuming we are talking about a smaller client base and dev team. Social media size sites might for example consider this 0.2% of their perspective userbase as a critical mass and devote thousands of hours to supporting them. You might also feel in your case that the use of JavaScript hinders assistive technologies and their support is critical to your success.

For what it is worth, I do not disable Javascript myself, nor do I build sites that specifically work without it though I do try to build clean HTML to the extent it is practical and I would rather solve a problem with CSS than with Javascript.

Re: Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

#4
post #2

if i have a relationship of trust with you i will let you run _your script_ on >my abusive script, dark patterning and subversion of autonomy are major issues. im hunching that .2% is a portion of machines that are in such a security stance that you have little hope of getting any of them to convert to allowing JS

I think the question is about users disabling JavaScript in their browsers rather than about sites running 3rd party javascript particularly remote dns supported (ad provider) javascript. Though I could be wrong.

Re: Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

#6
post #3

What percentage of your development effort will you budget to serve that 0.2% client? Would it be more than 4 hours a year? How much extra support would the types of clients who actively turn off JavaScript require? How much extra business will these types of clients generate or influence? I am not saying it is not worth the effort, but I am saying you should clearly set expectations and measure to be sure that this…

I'm just interested really, happy to spend lots of time doing it for fun.

Generally when you build clean HTML like you say, it benefits everybody, including the developers.

There's also plenty of applications that simply wouldn't work without javascript.

I'd advocate for at least having a tag explaining briefly why it doesn't work.

Re: Ask HN: Do you block JavaScript? why?

#7
By default I set NoScript to allow Javascript.

Site by site, I block javascript when it is in my way. Wikipedia for example. There is no alignment between my reasons for going to Wikipedia and the various reasons Wikipedia uses Javascript. Lazy pseudo-paywalls are another use case. Obnoxious "this site uses cookies" also.

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