>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>Ever since I installed/added NoScript to my FF, opening sites is very slow. In fact I switched to IE 6.0 for UT (much faster). Anybody else is using NoScript and has no problems? I am thinking about removing NoScript. My FF version is 3.6.16.
>>
>>Can you use the latest IE (IE 9.0) and latest FireFox (version 4.0)?
>>
>>BTW, I'm using IE 8 for UT at present, haven't used FF for a long time.
>
>I don't want to be beta tester for IE 9.0. Neither do I want to test FF 4.0. I tried updating my IE to 8.0 but there were too many patches I would have to download and install so I gave up. I like FF user interface. I just don't like the slow access. If NoScript is what causing it, I will remove it.

I've used NoScript for a long time. IME it doesn't noticeably affect web page load speeds. I first started using it with FF on an Athlon/1GHz single-core computer with 512MB RAM.

If you're new to NoScript, the most important thing to know is that almost all web sites are blacklisted by default (actually, almost no sites are whitelisted). So, no "active" content will run: Java, JavaScript, Flash, PDFs etc. If you load a page you have not whitelisted, any such active content will *never* load and the page will typically appear "broken" - missing pieces, improper formatting, inactive controls etc. I don't know if this is what you mean by "very slow" - it might look like the page is only partly loaded (because it is), and it will *never* "fully" load - by default.

Now, if you've decided the site is not malicious and isn't out to attack your browser, you may want to view it the way it's "meant" to be viewed. You click on the NoScript options button. There are several types of things you can do:

- selectively allow certain sites - the main one, or 3rd-party. Usually just allowing (temporarily or permanently) the main site will let the content show properly. Enabling sites individually lets you prevent 3rd-party scripts for tracking sites etc. from running.
- allow site(s) temporarily (for the duration of the browser session) or permanently ("Allow")
- To quickly view the whole page you can "Temporarily allow all this page" or "allow all this page"
- If you want to be unsafe, like IE, you can "Allow scripts globally"

In a nutshell, you have full control, and can be as safe/paranoid as you wish. By default, NoScript is very paranoid, so you have to explicitly whitelist ("allow") sites you consider safe in order to get a "normal" browsing experience.

NoScript is the best defense I know against zero-day attacks via infected/malicious web pages, which is an increasingly popular attack vector. I used to think it necessary only if you regularly visit new or unknown sites, but with increasing web site compromises and injection of malicious ads into banner ad networks it's important to use it for everyday browsing.

BTW FF4 seems stable in almost a week of regular use (no crashes or bugs). It's noticeably snappier than 3.6.xx even on fairly fast hardware. The UI changes take a little getting used to but you can configure it to be lean & mean, no wasted vertical space with unnecessary menus, toolbars etc.