Yahoo Mail - unresponsive scriptIf you use firefox to check your Yahoo Mail there’s a good chance you’ve seen the following error message:

Warning: Unresponsive script

A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, or you can continue to see if the script will complete.

Script: http://mail.yimg.com/d/combo?/mg/6_1_1/js/yui_utils.js&/mg/6_1_1/js/core.js&bc/bc_2.0.4.js&/mg/6_1_1/js/darla.js&/uh/15/js/uh_mail-1.0.11.js&/mg/6_1_1/js/async.js&/ult/ylc_1.9.js&/mg/6_1_1/js/imboot.js&:1

If you have experienced it, you know it’s very annoying as it eats up memory and locks up your whole browser. When asked about this Yahoo customer service was equally unresponsive. And the only suggestions on Mozilla’s support forums involve using programs like Adblock Plus to disable the the script. Frankly, that was the first plug-in I disabled when I updated Foxfire since I found its blocking filter too aggressive. Regardless you shouldn’t need to ad blocker just to check your email.

Well after a little cyber-sleuthing I discovered the problem: Yahoo Mail Classic is using a java script-based (imboot.js) instant messenger window called “Chat & Mobile Text.” The solution: upgrade to Yahoo’s “All-New Mail” which doesn’t use this script. You’ll find the link to make the switch in the top left corner of your inbox.

Now I’ll admit the new version has a better overall design to it, but as a guy who runs a website called “L7 World” I’m not exactly prone to following the masses so it goes without saying I like being force to do so even less. What’s next, making me get rid of my (cancer-free) landline? Not to suggest that the All-New Yahoo Mail will give you cancer or anything (although it totally does).