why such reliance on cookies?
Discussion
I recently got sick of having nigh on 1000 cookies on my system so told firefox to ban all but the sites I frequent lots (PH for example). It's amazing how many sites fall down, won't work or just plain get upset when I arrive to them.
I know cookies can act like a session variable, but I'm not the only one who has switched cookies off, why the over reliance?
I know cookies can act like a session variable, but I'm not the only one who has switched cookies off, why the over reliance?
Plotloss said:I recently found out there are tracking cookies that are put on by adverts (Norwich Union specifically) and monitor which websites you visit, which ads you've seen etc and what reponse you gave to them at each site. They also call back home regulary
There are a lot of needless cookies it has to be said but I find them fairly inoffensive to be honest.
I cant be arsed with the hassle of switching them off so just leave them be. Never had a single problem with this approach.
I prefer a little anonominity (although I appreciate thats pretty much impossible online).
Cookies are text files.
If there is outbound traffic its not the cookie, its a bit of software thats using the cookie.
The cookie in isolation is benign. 2 or more types of Spyware checker scheduled to run daily a proper hardware firewall and a lapse cookie policy should see no reporting going on...
If there is outbound traffic its not the cookie, its a bit of software thats using the cookie.
The cookie in isolation is benign. 2 or more types of Spyware checker scheduled to run daily a proper hardware firewall and a lapse cookie policy should see no reporting going on...
docevi1 said:Not really...
MSN using cookies and reports back
What you're describing are 3rd party cookies. So, on site A, there's an img link to an ad being served by one of the banner ad companies. Then everytime you access a site with an ad served by the same server, that cookie gets sent back so they can follow you around the net.
But to be honest as others have said, I'm not really too bothered about it.
On our site we use cookies for session management (session cookies) and remembering username/password (permanent cookies) if someone wants it remembered.
roadsweeper said:
I have Firefox setup like this too. Very few sites are allowed to store cookies indefinitely on my machine - most I have allowed are for the session only.
I also wonder why cookies are used in 'critical' ways by so many sites. I can't see the need myself...
How do you set up firefox to do this, would like to give it ago, probably easy.
Pigeon said:
What would you suggest as an alternative to cookies?
Not using cookies.
Unfortunately they are the only way to remember anything about a user without them having to authenticate. Paranoid blanket disabling of cookies really isn't necessary, just investigate the options in your browser of choice to prevent third party cookies, or disallow/allow certain sites.
docevi1 said:
I recently found out there are tracking cookies that are put on by adverts (Norwich Union specifically) and monitor which websites you visit, which ads you've seen etc and what reponse you gave to them at each site. They also call back home regulary
I prefer a little anonominity (although I appreciate thats pretty much impossible online).
I don't really understand concerns like this. It's not personal in any way, they can't necessarily identify you and you're just a statistic in an aggregated report somewhere. Does it matter?
PetrolTed said:
I don't really understand concerns like this. It's not personal in any way, they can't necessarily identify you and you're just a statistic in an aggregated report somewhere. Does it matter?
Playing devil's advocate: imagine your typical day, doing stuff around your house, eating breakfast, having a dump, going to work, coming home etc etc. Then imagine all that but with a guy with a clipboard standing behind you. He notes down everything you do, what you eat, who you talk to, the size of your turd etc - then sends his report to somebody you don't know. Does it matter?
Something that helps a site remember you, avoiding the need to log in each time is beneficial (though eBay seems to forget every 24 hours), and I can understand the need to find out about referred links to assess advertising - but I don't need the rest.
LexSport said:I'm yet to find a cookie which can launch Internet Explorer and head to a website to report who I am currently talking to on MSN and what ad I have just seen. MSN has to have some involvement there.
What you're describing are 3rd party cookies. So, on site A, there's an img link to an ad being served by one of the banner ad companies. Then everytime you access a site with an ad served by the same server, that cookie gets sent back so they can follow you around the net.
SimpoTwo has the idea exactly right, use of cookies for session management, identification etc is fine, it's when you get tracking cookies and the lack of knowing exactly what they are doing is where my concern arises.
docevi1 said:Now then it isn't a cookie problem, but an MSN problem. I have no idea why people complain when they make themselves dependent on one entity. Try Jabber instead: www.jabber.org/
I'm yet to find a cookie which can launch Internet Explorer and head to a website to report who I am currently talking to on MSN and what ad I have just seen. MSN has to have some involvement there.
SimpoTwo has the idea exactly right, use of cookies for session management, identification etc is fine, it's when you get tracking cookies and the lack of knowing exactly what they are doing is where my concern arises.
As always, you need to get professional technology (and learn to understand it) when you want to start keeping all things under your own control.
As for cookies, it is possible to set FireFox to delete all cookies after the current session, This would be the solution to any privacy issues. I'm sure that there are more settings to sophisticate cookie/privacy management. Also, when you understand coding in html, which I remember you do, Stefan, then install the Adblock extension in FireFox. Use it to control what is being loaded into your browser window (but don't block Ted's pie-payers)
Bodo said:It's a bit of both, cookies were present in my system which track my position according to the ads I see (as described elsewhere in this thread), but MSN allowed said cookie to be accessed by opening IE. Bit of both in that case.
Now then it isn't a cookie problem, but an MSN problem. I have no idea why people complain when they make themselves dependent on one entity. Try Jabber instead: www.jabber.org/
As always, you need to get professional technology (and learn to understand it) when you want to start keeping all things under your own control.
Bodo said:
As for cookies, it is possible to set FireFox to delete all cookies after the current session, This would be the solution to any privacy issues. I'm sure that there are more settings to sophisticate cookie/privacy management. Also, when you understand coding in html, which I remember you do, Stefan, then install the Adblock extension in FireFox. Use it to control what is being loaded into your browser window (but don't block Ted's pie-payers)
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