Javascript common? Sure... so common it poses a security threat. Some people can’t turn it on - company policy. Others can’t use it: screen readers, WAP phone browsers. Yet somehow, some web authors fail to realize this, thus fail to provide a notification or a way to do the same without. Arrogant, ignorant, maybe both... at least commercially unwise.
Technically, it's easy to provide a message when your web site requires javascript. Authors can use the HTML noscript element, or apply some simple styling patterns. If your developer tells you this cannot be done - train them, hire a better one. Hire me.
Luckily enough, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and MySpace recognise the need to inform their visitors about requiring javascript. Hopefully this will set a good example. However, since the people making the mistakes are the people who don't see that they do so, we doubt a difference can be made without decent instruction.
Who knows, maybe these Failure Notes will make a difference.
Can you afford to lose customers?
The sites listed at the bottom have problems with javascript being required without indication. There's way more than we can showcase here… every do-it-yourself-shop in the Netherlands, almost every office furniture and computer equipment store, the KLM flight tickets store, and the Dutch public transportation web site, suffer from this affliction.Luckily enough, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and MySpace recognise the need to inform their visitors about requiring javascript. Hopefully this will set a good example. However, since the people making the mistakes are the people who don't see that they do so, we doubt a difference can be made without decent instruction.
Who knows, maybe these Failure Notes will make a difference.
Worried about your own website?
Describe your problem to “failurenotes at protonmail dot com”, to discuss how we can solve your website‘s issues.