Look at the examples below. Both validates, but do Web browsers and search engines understand them?

<script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<noscript></noscript>
<script type="text/javascript">
_uacct = "UA-82034-6";
urchinTracker();
</script>
<noscript></noscript>

<script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript" />
<noscript />
<script type="text/javascript">
_uacct = "UA-82034-6";
urchinTracker();
</script>
<noscript />

Well the SEs won't because SEs don't do javascript at all.

for browsers, do both versions record an access in the Analytics log? assuming it's your GA account you can simply test it yourself!

I've tested. But I'm not sure. Since the stats go up and down all the time anyway.

if you know what time you visit and the IP you are coming from it should be simple to check and correlate.

If you are using IE set the UserAgent string to something unique.
instruction are here

that way you know it was your access and it works.

OR
write a test page with a bit of javascript in it to do the "Hello World" bit and use both forms of the script tag and see which one (or both) works!

From my own experience, everytime I used self closing <script ... /> tags I had problems. It's better to be safe and explicity close the tags <script></script>

Or maybe it was just me...

I haven't been able to prove errors with any of ways of closing (exept when I used HTML and not xHTML)...

That's why I'm asking. I'm trying to find out if there's errors to the modern way (.../>).

Use <script></script> as Anacrusis suggested, else you may run into problems with some browsers. For example, I know that Opera 9 (beta released today) only just added support for self closing <script /> tags.

I haven't had problems with that on Opera 8.5 for Mac. Are you sure about that?

According to the changelog (link to Windows changelog, but also appears on Mac).

Allowed self closing SCRIPT tags in HTML documents.

I use Opera 8.5 on windows almost exclusivly and like I stated previously, it always gave me trouble when I used self closing script tags. Never tried it in any other browser.

Wen using <script>code</script> it validates in both html 4.01 and in xhtml.

Why would you need to worry about the self closing tag.

Sounds like a moo point to me. You know, like a cows opinion!

Also, why use a self-closing noscript tag? if your not going to use the tag, why have it on the page. A page will validat without it I believe.. Correct me if I am wrong.

I guess a good reason for why presupposes whether I am willing to spend ten minutes or an hour for research.

Is there a reason that you wanted to use a self closing tag Moldarin?

just because i was curious only gets ten minutes..

I add a selfclosing <noscript /> (or should I use <noscript></noscript>?) tag after the Google analytics script to tell browsers that this content have no value if JavaScript isn't enabled.

And I just LIKE self closiong the script. Think it would be better... Just look at it: what whould you prefer?

<script ...></script>
<script ... />