Java Script is built into your browser. Look at your settings. All browsers have it. You can stop using/allowing Java Script, but you will soon find why you want it enabled. Even for Ancestry.com. Turn off Java Script and see what happens. Turn it back on and all is well again.
"Java" on the other hand, is downloaded to your computer. Like Flash. The Java ON my computers is what I uninstalled and have never needed it since. (and yes, this downloaded JAVA is a big security problem that is best to uninstall unless you absolutely need it)
Now, some people do turn off their Java Script, or just enable it on certain sites. Firefox has a "no-script" plug in that you can set it on for some sites and off for others. A pain dealing with until you get all sites set that you visit or use regularly. To use "no-script", you have to know "which/what" script on a particular site that you NEED and which one(s) you don't. Thus, it's a case of play around until you find the right ones.
Using no-script or turning script off IS safer, but a royal pain in the _____
I leave it enabled. I got fed up "playing" with the settings, in IE and trying the no-script in Firefox. Decided I didn't need/want the frustration and my time-consumed playing with that instead of getting my research done.
If you only visit or use particular sites and don't visit/use "other" ones very often, the playing with and getting your settings set is probably not that bad. Once you figure out which scripts to leave and which to not, you are good to go.
We researchers aren't like that. We visit/use new sites all the time. Wherever the "information" can be found. So, "no-script" in FireFox or turning off or limiting script in IE (or having IE ask you each time or new site) just isn't worth it. I have had NO problems all these years with scripts enabled.
http://javascript.about.com/od/hintsandtips/a/javascriptdown...http://www.enable-javascript.com/http://javascripton.com/