Prevent js alert() from pausing timers

Question

So I made some timers for a quiz. The thing is, I just realized when I put

javascript: alert(\"blah\");

in the address, the popup alert bo

Answer 1

The feedback loop on SyaZ's question has clarified the issues at stake.

Here's an attempt to summarize the good answers so far:

• Client scripts are by nature are easy to manipulate to cheat an online quiz. SEE @Filini 's Server-side approach

• window.alert = function(msg) {} will overriding alert() and perhaps defeat the low hanging fruit of putting in the addressbar: javascript:alert('Pausing page so I can google the answer') or I'll use my Phone-A-Friend now. Courtesy of @eyelidlessness

• If you must use a client-side approach, instead of using setTimeOut(), you could use a custom date-compare-based pause function like this (concept by @Mnebuerquo, code example by me (@micahwittman)):

Example:

var beginDate = new Date();

function myTimeout(milsecs){
  do { curDate = new Date(); }
    while((curDate-beginDate) < milsecs);
}

function putDownYourPencils(milsecs){
  myTimeout(milsecs);
  var seconds = milsecs / 1000;
  alert('Your '  + seconds + ' seconds are up. Quiz is over.');
}

putDownYourPencils(3000);