Don't understand NoScript

[Bernadine]

I had NoScript for a while on my old XP computer but it seemed like to bring up a website I had to turn off scripts so often that it didn't make sense why I had the program in the first place. So, I disabled it. I have a new 8.1 computer now and I'm trying to follow the recommendations of PC Help Forum so I installed NoScript again. And again I have the same problem. I think I understand a bit of why to use this, there are some bad scripts out there that can cause problems. (But I don't understand what a script is.) I read several evaluations, and though they were 4 and 5 stars, most said it's even difficult for techie types. I don't understand how this works and I wonder, for a person who is just barely understanding all of this computer stuff and speak, is it worth the difficulties and confusion it causes. Is there a simple, speak in clear, plain English instructions way to use this? I'm about to disable it again.

Thank you,
Bernadine

[Hecuba's daughter]

nvm

[barbaz]

I don't understand how this works and I wonder, for a person who is just barely understanding all of this computer stuff and speak, is it worth the difficulties and confusion it causes.

Absolutely. It's a lot less of a pain than dealing with whatever malware you're eventually going to get if you don't use NS.

Is there a simple, speak in clear, plain English instructions way to use this?

To add to what Hecuba's daughter said:

Well, if it's really that hard, you could just NS menu -> Allow Scripts Globally (dangerous), and turn on Firefox's built-in click-to-play for plugins. NoScript will still provide some security benefits you otherwise wouldn't have, but be aware that these features don't always give much user feedback. The Browser Console (Ctrl-Shift-J) will usually contain a related message if any those features have been triggered.

A safer method to deal with the list of sites in the NS menu would be to install Adblock Edge (you'll need version 2.1.1 or later) and set it up with subscriptions to block all types of content you don't want. Then you can search Adblock Edge filterlists for the sites in your NS menu. If a domain is explicitly filtered there, stick it in Untrusted (NS menu -> Untrusted -> Mark [the-bad-site] as Untrusted). The rest is just trial-and-error; if you're impatient, it's at least somewhat safer to choose "Temporarily allow all this page". (You may have to repeat that cycle several times per page.)
Once you set all the necessary permissions for a page, you can select NS menu -> Make page permissions permanent, if you're going to visit the site again and you want that site to "just work" for you in the future.

Hope that helps.

[Bernadine]

Thanks for trying to explain, I tried to read it all again and again I just got dizzy from the strain of trying to understand. Too many words get all twisted up.
What did stand out was: "By clicking Temporarily allow (domain name), all JavaScript from this domain name will be allowed to run on all sites you visit from then on. This is a temporary setting. It will be allowed only in the current session of your browser. Once you restart your browser, this setting no longer be in effect. You may also open the menu and click Revoke temporary permissions before leaving the site."
If NS has blocked something because it's not safe, why would I want to unblock it? Yes, I understand that the website won't work right when NS blocks something, and I understand that what it is blocking is dangerous to my computer. Then, if I unblock it, my computer isn't safe, if I don't unblock it, I can't see the webpage I want to see. So why have a computer if I can't see the web pages I want or why have NS? I guess I'm repeating myself. It just doesn't make sense.
Thanks anyway.
Bernadine

[barbaz]

If NS has blocked something because it's not safe, why would I want to unblock it?

NS blocks things that *might* be unsafe, i.e. it doesn't know whether the things it's blocking are actually malicious. You, as the user, decide who to trust and therefore what to allow in NS.

[Bernadine]

OK, I'm to tell it what's safe and isn't safe. You see how much trouble I've had just understanding that. How am I supposed to figure out what's OK and what isn't? I'm going to guess there isn't a list or it would be included in NS.

[Hecuba's daughter]

nvm

[barbaz]

How am I supposed to figure out what's OK and what isn't?

See my suggestion above. It's not a perfect system, but it works for me.