"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it."
Lyndon Johnson
Enabling JavaScript On Your Browser
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What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is a scripting language originally used by Netscape Communications (now known as the open source Mozilla Foundation) for use in Web sites. JavaScript is now so common that it has become a standardized Web design tool supported by most Web browsers, including, of course, the open source Mozilla browser Firefox. Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader also support JavaScript in PDF files, as do Widgets in Mac OS X.10.4 and Yahoo! Widgets. Microsoft Active Scripting technology supports the JavaScript-compatible JScript.
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Why Use JavaScript?
One major use of JavaScript is to make Web pages perform tasks not possible in HTML/XHTML alone. Some common examples are: getting real-time information like the current date, popping up a new window such as a map, validating Web forms before submitting them, and changing images as your mouse cursor moves over them. All of the above examples are present in one form or another on our Web site.
Despite the usefulness of JavaScript, our Web site has been designed to minimize its use for reasons that will be made clear below.
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Why Do Some Pages Not Load Completely?
If some of our Web pages do not load properly in your browser, it may be because you:
have JavaScript disabled as a security precaution (this is the most common reason for Web pages not loading),
have a browser that does not understand JavaScript, like a PDA or a mobile phone, or
are visually or otherwise disabled and may be using an uncommon Web browser, a speech browser, or may have selected extreme text magnification.
Regarding the latter possibility, care has been taken to ensure that our Web pages are still usable according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0.
Regarding the first possibility, on each Web page that uses JavaScript (there are not that many) either there are alternatives to JavaScript-dependent content or the content itself is not crucial and can be ignored. Of course, my recommendation is to temporarily enable JavaScript in your browser to view the Web page as it was intended.
Having said this, our Web site has been designed to minimize the use of JavaScript for the reasons listed above, but some content is currently embedded into pages using it simply because no other design method has yet been attempted.
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Why Do I Get a Browser Warning?
If your browser JavaScript setting is set to Prompt, you may get a warning about downloading potentially dangerous active content (JavaScript applications are a form of active content) from our Web site.
Since we are all concerned nowadays about preventing a whole zoo of nasties from invading our computers, getting such warnings is a common browser security feature. The warnings are designed to limit undesirable scripts from unscrupulous Web sites from sneaking past you.
Of course, since our Web site has no dangerous active content, you may trust us and allow your browser to access them. Or not. The choice is always yours to make. If you want to, please refer to our policies regarding active content.
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Enabling Your Browser in Three Easy Steps
If you already know how to enable your browser to run JavaScript, then you may be reading this just because you are curious. However, if you do not know how, then just follow the three steps below:
1. Identify Your Browser
Because Web browsers differ, find out what browser version you are using. Click Help from your top browser menu. Choose About (your browser name) to find out your browser version.
2. Follow the Directions
Follow the directions for your browser below. If you do not see your browser listed, you can probably still figure it out since most browsers have similar design formats although the wording and arrangement may vary slightly. For example, the Apple Safari browser is pretty much the same as Mozilla Firefox. If you need to, refer to some of the browser directions below to get the general idea.
3. Choose Your Browser
Internet Explorer 5.5 & 6.0
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Choose Tools from your browser menu bar at the top of the browser.
3. Choose Internet Options from the menu list.
4. Choose the Security tab.
5. Click the Custom Level button.
6. Scroll down to Scripting.
7. See if Active scripting is enabled. If it is not, then click the circle next to Enable. Click OK.
8. Click Yes.
9. Click OK to close the dialog box.
10. Click the Refresh button on your browser tool bar. JavaScript should now be enabled.
Mozilla Firefox 1.0.x
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click Tools on your menu bar at the top of the browser.
3. On the Tools menu, click Options.
4. Click Web Features in the left navigation panel.
5. Click the check box next to Enable JavaScript. A checkmark appears in the selected check box.
6. Click OK to close the dialog box.
7. On the browser tool bar, click Reload Current Page (two blue arrows).
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.x
1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Click Tools on your menu bar at the top of the window.
3. On the Tools menu, click Options.
4. Choose Content from the top navigation panel.
5. Click the check box next to Enable JavaScript. A checkmark appears in the selected check box.
6. Click OK to close the dialog box.
7. On the browser tool bar, click Reload Current Page (two blue arrows).
Netscape Navigator 7.1 & 7.2
1. Open Netscape Navigator.
2. Choose Edit from your menu bar at the top of the window.
3. Choose Preferences.
4. Click Advanced from the left navigation panel.
5. Choose Scripts & Plugins.
6. Click the check box next to Navigator under the Enable JavaScript for heading. A checkmark appears in the selected check box.
7. Click OK to close the dialog box.
On the browser tool bar, click the blue arrow to reload the page.
Netscape Navigator 8.1
1. Open Netscape Navigator.
2. From your Tools menu bar, click Options.
3. Under Security and Privacy, click Site Controls.
4. Choose the Site List tab
5. Under the Web Features heading, click the check box next to Enable JavaScript. A checkmark appears in the selected check box.
6. Click OK to close the dialog box.
7. On the browser tool bar, click the blue arrow to reload the page.
Opera 8.54
1. Open Opera.
2. Choose Tools from your menu bar at the top of the browser.
3. Choose Quick Preferences.
4. Click the check box next to Enable JavaScript. A checkmark appears in the selected check box and the menus will close.
5. On the browser tool bar, click on the two red arrows to reload the page.
