[FIXED] NYTimes.com doesn't work with No-Script

[markspace]

I've been having trouble at the NYTimes.com site. Even if I allow all scripts from that site, it seems my back button doesn't work any more.

What I do is I go to the main page on NYTimes.com. I click on a link to a story (any story, the all do it). Then I click my back button to return to the main page, but nothing happens. This includes the GUI back button on the screen, the Backspace key, and the Alt-Arrow keyboard short cut. All do not work.

If I disable No-Script completely, it works. However, even with all scripts enabled (and no-script enabled too), it does not.

Any idea why it's not working and what I can do about it?

I'm not sure what further information I can provide. If you need further info, just let me know.

[Alan Baxter]

I've no idea why it's not working. It works for me, but I'm using the current version of Firefox, Fx 3.5. It appears you're still using Fx 3.0.11. Try updating to Fx 3.5 and see if that makes a difference. Help > Check for updates. Also update to the latest development NoScript build linked here.

If that doesn't work, then try these steps, in order, until NoScript is working right again.

1) The NoScript settings became messed up somehow. Reset the NoScript Options by pressing Reset at the bottom of the Options dialog. Export your whitelist before doing that if you've added any trusted or untrusted sites you'd like to restore after NoScript is working again.
2) The extensions database is corrupted. Exit Firefox, delete the files mentioned here in this linked article, restart Firefox. Uncorrupted versions of the files will be automatically regenerated. Corrupt_extension_files
3) There might be an extension conflict. Use the Add-ons manager to temporarily disable any other Firefox extensions you have installed, except for NoScript.
4) Perform a Standard Diagnostic. If NoScript isn't working by the time you get to the "Create a new profile" step, a new profile with no other extensions besides NoScript should work right.

Hope this helps. Please let us know whether it does.

[Grumpy Old Lady]

I believe there is a findable problem, Alan (Nan M here)

See this related thread
http://forums.informaction.com/viewtopi ... 7216#p7216

[Alan Baxter]

You are correct. I'm able to reproduce this problem in both topics, but only in Fx 3.0.11, not Fx 3.5. My suggestion to update to Fx 3.5 works!

(Lose your alter ego's password, Grumpy?)

[Grumpy Old Lady]

(Lose your alter ego's password, Grumpy?) :twisted:

The short answer?
Yes :-)

Yes, 3.0.11 is so last week ;-)
Somebody should tell the minders of the Ubuntu repository.

[Nan M]

Seriously Alan, you might like to point this out to Giorgio because of the numbers of users who like to delay major upgrades - for their own good reasons, of course
If it's an easy fix, why not?

Oh look, I found that password.
But I'm too error-prone in green, so I will revert to a plain regsitrant from now on.

[Giorgio Maone]

If it's an easy fix, why not?

Unluckily it appears not to be the case.
I played with this bug this morning, and I still can't see where exactly it comes from

[markspace]

Thanks guys, you're a wonder. I'll try upgrading to FF 3.5. If that works, I'll be happy.

[therube]

Why would it only be affecting FF3.0.x & nytimes.com (& only when nytimes.com is Allowed)?

Breakage between 1.9.0.7 & 1.9.0.8.

And 1.9.0.8 references Bug 453825 - window.top gets undefined on some pages if NoScript is installed but AdBlock Plus is not.

From which Wladimir filed Bug 500715 - window.top gets undefined on some pages if Adblock Plus is installed against 1.9.0.

[PeterR]

NY Times makes a duplicate history entry when Noscript is installed, so the back button just recycles to the same page...

[Grumpy Old Lady]

NY Times makes a duplicate history entry when Noscript is installed, so the back button just recycles to the same page...

yes, covered upthread, with a link to the other connected thread
http://forums.informaction.com/viewtopi ... 7216#p7216

[Bobber47]

Note that it's Ubuntu's policy to maintain a given distro release with security and performance patches, but not upgrade all software/packages, like Firefox, to the latest version. Since Ubuntu 8.04 LTS is using Firefox 3.0.(12) and it will be in service until April of 2011, a NoScript fix should really be prepared. It's a NoScript bug, not a Firefox bug. It's less realistic to expect users to independently upgrade Firefox, or expect them to upgrade their Ubuntu LTS so they can use Firefox 3.5 - that's the point of an LTS. I hope someone is considering this...

[Grumpy Old Lady]

a NoScript fix should really be prepared. It's a NoScript bug, not a Firefox bug. It's less realistic to expect users to independently upgrade Firefox, or expect them to upgrade their Ubuntu LTS so they can use Firefox 3.5 - that's the point of an LTS. I hope someone is considering this...

It's been acknowledged as a bug by the developer. :-)
As of today it's only affected one site.
It's not fatal to a session and has no insecure implications that I can think of(is there any insecurity that you are worried about?).
There was a workaround found when the bug was originally reported, if the user's preferred mode of browsing is to move back and forward in the one tab:

if your preferred way to navigate is sequencing through history in a single tab, you may like to check the NoScript Option|Plugins|Forbid <IFRAME> along with apply these restrictions to trusted sites too.

.
There are right now other bugs that are more urgent to find a fix for.

I'm an Ubuntu user and very much like the Canonical LTS approach as a means of supporting their product when it is taken up by non technical users; the official repos provide surety and security for the most ungeek of us.
However, the trade-off for us non-geeks is that while we are secure overall by staying with a fully Canonical authorised distro, this kind of annoyance will arise inevitably due to the speed of development of most popular applications.
For most users, upgrading to 9.04 (the latest LTS) will give better performance on older hardware, as well as access to Fx 3.5.1, even if only in the Universe repositories. My experience with 3.5.1 in 9.04 has been without any language or usability problems so far.

[Bobber47]

I can confirm that this double-history problem has been eliminated with recent NoScript / Firefox updates in Ubuntu 8.04 LTS. Thanks!!

I brought this up again because of Ubuntu's popularity and because the 8.04 LTS (long term support) release is the only LTS currently available (support 3 years, until 4/2011). The next LTS version is due 10/2010. The intermediate versions (8.10, 9.04) only get support for 18 months, and will expire before the 8.04 version. Since a large % of Linux users use Ubuntu, and an LTS is attractive for stability to a large # users (distro from Dell, ? greatest likelihood of corporate adoption (of Ubuntu)), problems with NoScript for the 8.04 distro will have a weighted impact on the Linux community. Otherwise, I agree, upgrading does provide the benefits of the latest developments.

[therube]

Hmmm. How do you like that.
It appears to be fixed in 3.0.13 Windows too.

Wonder if "we" knew about that or if it was a change to FF itself that fixed it?

(Oh, & I happen to have NoScript 1.9.7.7 installed in FF 3.0.13.)

Or was it a change that NYT made to their website? As I'm not able to forcibly break it any longer?