Cookies?

[Charles Barker]

As a developer, I consider cookies an essential harmless aspect of the
Internet. These 'variables' are one of the few ways for a site to store data
that can be used as a user traverses throughout a site. Some online research
databases use persistent cookies to allow patrons to access their site
without distributing usernames and passwords.
The only real reason that I can see to disable cookies is the fact that
cookies can hold information about a user accessing a site (i.e.. if one
person was validated, the next person to use the site could be validated by
the cookie from the previous person's visit). This can be avoided by
deleting the cookies with a batch file as user's logon.
In conclusion, I see cookies as a useful tool which should not be limited.

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at library.berkeley.edu
[mailto:web4lib at library.berkeley.edu]On Behalf Of Antonio Tavares Lopes
Sent: Saturday, June 06, 1998 3:33 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: Cookies?


Michael Dargan wrote:
>
> We're running Netscape Standalone 4.05 on Win95 workstations that are
> under severe policy restrictions and Fortres 101.  I've disabled cookies
> but am getting pressure from patrons who desire them.  I'm leery of
> allowing them on public workstations.
>
> Am I being to fussy?  What would be the practical significance of
> enabling cookies which are sent back to the server?
>

Cookies allow for some degree of persistence between client and server
communication. Some interactive sites may rely on them to preserve the
state of a conversation (the choices made on a previous form, for
instance) in an otherwise stateless protocol. Personally I don't see any
harm on them, but they can be safely and easily wiped out from your
disks (say, daily?).

António Tavares Lopes
atlopes at mail.telepac.pt