Is XP\SP2 good for javascript or bad?

Will it promote or discourage scripted pages?

[ricfink]

After installing XP Service Pack 2 and seeing the changes it makes to Internet Explorer - especially the pop up blocking and some scary messages you get when you open up scripted pages from the local file system I first thought, "Hey, this kind of stuff is really going to discourage scripted pages!".
I was thinking specifically about the statistics I've seen thrown around over the years about how many Internet users browse with Javascript turned off.
(Nobody really knows. I script anyway.)
However, as I thought about it further, it seemed to me that getting rid of the main reason for turning javascript off in the first place - annoying pop-ups - plus the other security features would make it LESS likely that users would turn scripting off and also less likely that network admins would impose a no-script policy, as well.
In other words, by reining in javascript's most abused and intrusive features, in the long run there will be MORE users with script enabled than before because these changes ensure that only script that's safe and non-intrusive works.
Anybody got a take on this?
How is the new emphasis on security in IE - the world's most popular browser - going to effect Javascript use in the long run?

[JAB Creations]

I often viewed people who just turn of JS to be like those who vote for a political party for no more reason then what their church or family votes for.

I don't think it will have much of an impact in my opinion at least. Uninformed people will always have JS turned on. Half informed people will just turn it off because they are to lazy to seek an alternative browser. Informed people will use a Gecko based browser AND avoid Safarie.

While I approve of the attempt to fix some major security threats in IE my own homepage has items turned off? This is annoying (my homepage is local). Additioanlly SP2 just doesn't seem stable on either my Intel or AMD based systems.

Scripts should still work just fine and I didn't have any noticable issues with the scripts on my site with SP2 regardless of the patch's stability.

As always I like anyone else who favors a well balanced usage of different internet technologies, will encourage beneficial scripting and dam those who abuse scripting.

So if you want an opinion of whether you should still script, I say yes. Just don't abuse it! :D

[kaled]

I have not doubt the js policy will change with the next release - either SP2A or SP3.

I doubt that MS intended to switch off js when running on the local system but leave it on for the internet. I'm sure it's a cockup. Of course, they can't change it immediately because that would be admitting the mistake.

The problem perhaps lies with treating javascript with ActiveX as being equally insecure. Popups aside, provided neither has broad access to files, their is no danger - clearly MS lack confidence in their own software - presumably they are going through it carefully looking for holes. I've never used ActiveX stuff, but ensuring javascript is safe should not be a big deal.

Kaled.

[dr3amer]

It all sounds good... thanks to Opera, Mozilla, Firefox, Netscape and other competitors that are forcing Internet Explorer to take shape and meet user's requirements and needs.