Are you running NoScript? May I assume not? If so, then may I point out that you are hypothesizing what using NoScript is like to a user of NoScript while you have no direct experience? This is a structurally-unsound argumentative position for you to be in.<p>(No, any experience you may have shutting it off entirely does <i>not</i> count. NoScript is smarter than that and does not work that way.)<p>I do use it. It is two to three times less common for me to be surprised by secret JavaScript functionality on a site than for me to be surprised going into the comment sections of HN or reddit and seeing people complain about some bad thing that I didn't experience. That is a serious estimate. And the thing I missed out on is rarely important. (The most common exception to that is when you <i>need</i> JS to go to the next page. Frequently I decide I don't care enough anyhow.)<p>Malicious Javascript can do some weird and nasty things, but mostly I run it because it makes the web less annoying. That it tends to prevent exploits from working is just gravy. (Exploits often fail against a 64
bit gentoo-based Firefox anyhow, but still, careful is good.)