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Newsletter Archives - Cookies April 13, 2003
Today's Topic: Deleting Cookies
Question: How do you know which cookies to keep and which to delete? This newsletter is terrific! I’m learning so much from it.
Answer: You can delete all the cookies if you want. The only thing they do is hold information about your activities and account information with a particular website.
For example if you frequently shop at a specific website, a cookie from this website identifies you and will include your name and items you might be interested in when you visit their website.
If you delete this cookie, the website will show you a generic page and you will have to log in each time using your username and password before you can access your account with them. When you order, you may also have to manually type in your name, address, and any other necessary information that the cookie would put in for you.
To delete all the cookies, go to Control Panel (Click Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel) and open Internet Options. On the General tab, click on the button that says Delete Cookies.
If you’re using Windows XP, click Start, click Control Panel. Click Network and Internet Connections. Click Internet Options. On the General tab, click on the button that says Delete Cookies.
November 17, 2002 Should I Delete Cookies?
Question: I am trying to free up spaced on my computer by deleting unnecessary files. I’ve been told that I should delete cookies? Should I do this? And how do I do this?
Answer:
You can delete the cookies if you want. If you do, you will have to re-enter information at some websites. Cookies hold your username, passwords, and other information so that you don't have to type them in each time.
To delete cookies, in Internet Explorer, click Tools on the menu bar, then Internet Options. Make sure the General tab is selected; click the Delete Cookies button. May 26, 2002
Question: Can you explain "cookies"? What is their use? Someone told me I can delete them as they take up space?
Answer: A cookie is a piece of information unique to you that your browser saves and sends back to a Web server when you revisit a Web site (the Web server is the computer that hosts a Web site that your browser downloads or sees). The server tells your browser where to put the cookie on the server. Cookies contain information such as log-in or registration information, online shopping cart information (your online buying patterns in a certain retail site), user preferences, what site you came from last, etc.
The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized Web pages for them. When you enter a Web site using cookies, you may be asked to fill out a form providing such information as your name and interests. This information is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser, which stores it for later use. The next time you go to the same Web site, your browser will send the cookie to the Web server. The server can use this information to present you with custom Web pages. So, for example, instead of seeing just a generic welcome page you might see a welcome page with your name on it. This can be very convenient if you shop frequently at a particular website; the cookie remembers your information such as name, address, credit card number, and you won’t have to input that information each time you purchase something.
The name cookie derives from UNIX objects called magic cookies. These are tokens that are attached to a user or program and change depending on the areas entered by the user or program. Cookies are also sometimes called persistent cookies because they typically stay in the browser for long periods of time.
To see all the cookies that your browser has stored on your computer, click the Start button, choose Run, type Cookies in the Run box, and press Enter. Each cookie is stored as a separate file that includes your username, an @ sign, and the name of the site that stored the information. You can double-click on any cookie to open its file in Notepad, and you can use the Delete key to get rid of any cookie you decide you don't want or need. |
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