Is graceful degradation in the absence of JavaScript still useful?

Question

When even mobile browsers have JavaScript, is it really necessary to consider potential script-free users?

Answer 1

graceful degadation / progressive enhancement / unobstusive javascript is absolutely relevant!

as with all accessability issues: just imagine for one second what it's like to be the one on the outside who can't use the page.

imagine you're travelling around the world, you're in some hotel or internet café with really old computers, old software, old browsers, you want to look up your flight and you realize you can't because of some javascript incompatability in the old browser you're using. (try 'old mobile phone' or 'stuck behind a corporate firewall' for different scenarios)

image what a world of possibilities opend up to blind people with screen readers and the web, and image what it's like to find these possibilties closed again because of javascript.

so much for appealing to your better nature.

you might also want to do it to keep your site accessibly for search engines.