JavaScript...

JavaScript allows your Web page to do all sorts of tricks. It can determine before loading the page which browser and platform you are using, and then present you with a page best suited to that browser/platform combination. It can create the ubiquitous "rollover" effect, where an image changes when you drag your cursor over it. It can automatically deliver a Web page you select from a drop-down menu (although we think you should click a "go" button instead).

There are many, many JavaScript possibilities, some of which add a low-cost sophistication to your Web pages (on the page or behind the scenes), others of which are the equivalent of annoying blinking or scrolling text.

Considerations:

All JavaScript(s) should be tested using a dial-up connection, on PCs and Macs, using different versions of IE and Netscape. Then you will know how well they work and if they have any errors or incompatibilities.

Take, for example, this JavaScript below. When viewing with Internet Explorer (Mac or PC), the year displays correctly. Using Netscape (Mac or PC), however, the year might display as "108" rather than "2008".

JavaScript will affect page load times, because the browser needs to read through the code, in addition to the HTML code already there. It can also affect search engine results rankings, because the search spiders tend to emphasise text near the top of pages - which is where JavaScript generally resides in the coding of a page.

I can advise you on the use of JavaScript for your site.