Re: Anonymously Browsing (Hate) Sites

Ronald J. Bartle (snuffy@snafu.de)
Thu, 07 May 1998 20:53:21 +0200 

Perhaps one should point out that there is (-like with most things..) a
down side to disabeling the cookie system.) If you have been
occasionally clicking at sites that normally need a user name and p.w.
to get access - the option "authorise site to remember your identity so
you can log-in in futre without entering the date each time!?" - then
after carying out the procedure below - this is no longer going to work
at those site.  Of course the pc guru's out there will say "Well that's
obvious!" - but ppl asking for tips like the one below - would often not
be the people who are automatically going to realize all the effects of
doing so.  Cookies do a number of things.. one of them is to leave a
trail of where you have been sometimes when It might not be wanted. 
They also have a number of functions that most ppl would tend to enjoy. 
There are nowadays a number of sites who _learn_ what you are interested
in and slant searches etc based on cookie infos.  This might sound very
"big-brother" but is is quite an old or long established system that (as
far as I am aware...) first came into wide use with the WAIS system of
data retrieval - that lost popularity amongst us old-hands when the web
came along.  Another thing is that some of us like to customize the
presentation at some of the glitzier sites - to our specific interests. 
Stuff like <username's> excite page .. or my-yahoo etc where one sets
the preferences once and the site "knows" whose preferences to use in
the future.. all tend to be coookie-based stuff.  So - this will not
mean that ppl really needing to cover thier tracks will not still need
to - but be aware of the "other side" of the biz. of disabeling cookies.

;)

ron b.

Graeme Bacque wrote:
> 
> nternet@c2i2.com wrote:
> 
> > Maybe someone with Netscape can tell the similar procedure.
> >
> > Charles Wilson
> 
>  1. In Netscape look for the file 'cookies.txt'. Load it into a text editor,
> delete all except for the first three lines, then save it to disk.
> 
> 2. In Windows Explorer, right-click on this file, then select 'properties' on the
> pop-up menu which appears. Check the box marked 'read only.'
> 
> (You have to execute *both* of the above operations. This works for Windows 95 - I
> don't know about Win3x or Mac.)
> 
> --
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> APA - No Way!! Toronto, June 3, 1998
> <http://web.arcos.org/gbacque/antiAPA.htm>
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- 
Ron Bartle - Royal Air Force Veteran - Hobby Journalist 
-24h wired Bed & Breakfast in Berlin,Germany.
snuffy@snafu.de fon: +49.30.6884295 fax: +49.89.66617.23554