"the web is no longer just text"

Although I can't deny that statement,I find it hard to convince myself that browsers can't read your page because no JS engines are running. I see it a little bit like emails.. yes, more recent clients give you a better interface or better features, but if I'm emailing someone who has a very old phone with very basic email support, I'm hoping that this person would still be able to read my message.

I'd love to see what would happen if HN turned JS-enabled only for a day.

I kinda resent being expected to run your pile of arbitrary code just to render static text and images on my screen—something that worked just fine without JS twenty years ago.