I recently realised that my understanding of security aspects of Java and Javascript seems to be wrong. I so far tend to think that Javascript, usually to be found in the browser settings, is a security risk, and so is Java itself. Microsoft Virtual Machine and Jscript however have no real meaning for me.
But over the past days I read here and there that Javascript is especially safe, and that that is the reason why it is often to be found on banking sites.
Others say that Javascriupt is unsafe, but Java itself is safe. Or that Sun Java is better than Microsoft'S Java, or the other way around.
Can anyone clear this mess up for me, and provide me with a basic understanding of what is what and how secure it is to leave it activated and what is recommendable to be deactivated and avoided, please?
I maybe switch from Microsoft software to OpenOffice, if the sometimes reported compatability issues of Microsoft-based documents and OpenOffice is a non-issue in fact, but I also have earned that OpenOffice needs Java.