It will explain how to enable cookies for various scenarios, for the IE version you are running.
You are right that you need to click the little "Options" button (lower right) from NoScript to allow scripts in Firefox.
Using it will show you how often websites try to run their own scripts on your machine without asking.
Some of the scripts could be used to infect your machine, if you are not sure about the integrity of the website.
Because Firefox does not allow ActiveX controls, and because it has add-ons like NoScript, it is somewhat safer for general surfing.
Even when you first posted, you did not have Java on your machine.
You can get it like this:
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Download and Install the latest version of Java Runtime Environment from here : http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp, and install it to your computer.
In the first section on the page, labeled JDK 6 Update 23 (JDK or JRE), click on the button labeled Download JRE. Do NOT choose the button labeled "Download JDK".
Select the Platform Windows and check the box to agree to the license.
Choose the Windows Offline installation version and click on the link.
Download it, choose Save, and save it to your desktop.
Then doubleclick it on your desktop, and it will install the newest version of Java for you to use.
You can then remove the Installer from your desktop.
After installing Java, your NoScript should allow JavaScript on whatever sites you want.
Let me know how it goes.
askey127