NOTE: Netscape's new broswers (4.0 and later) has great options in Preferences/Advanced:
1. Accept all cookies
2. Accept only cookies that get sent back to the originating server
3. Do not accept cookies
4. Warn me before accepting a cookie
From the Cookie Monster's Read Me
The Magic Cookie is a file created by Microsoft Explorer and Netscape Navigator which resides in the preferences folder. It stores data about you, and enables servers you visit to keep track of what you search for and access. They can store this information in their databases for the purpose of marketing analyses and perhaps to generate mailing lists. Besides commercial uses, it's always possible that some servers out there could use this feature to simply record any of your comings and goings and do with the information what they will. We're trying not to sound too Orwellian, but you get the drift....
- ABOUT THE COOKIE
A cookie is a pack of information that a Web-site server gives to the browser when the two first meet and that they then share with each return visit.
The remote server saves the information the cookie contains about you and your browser does the same, as a text file stored in your Nescape or Explorer system folder.
Most Web sites don't use cookies, although a growing number are beginning to, and not all browsers support them. Netscape Navigator and MS Internet Explorer do, America Online's browser (up to 2.7) doesn't.
Cookies usually store some information like name and password and where you've been at on the site in past visits, and this can be updated with each visit. A cookie always includes the address of the server that sent it. The primary purpose behind cookie technology is identification, like "Caller ID."
When you return to the Web server it has the ability to query your browser to see if you are one of its many cookie holders. If you are then the server retrieves the information stored in the cookie that the two of you originally exchanged. Your browser will only share its cookie with the server that originally passed it along, other servers can't read other cookies in your cookie file.
You can set your Netscape browser to alert you when a cookie is being sent so you can accept it or not, obviously an inconvenience to web surfing.
To do this go in Options, Network Preferences, Protocols; and select "Show an Alert Before Accepting a Cookie."
You can also download and use kill-cookie applications; some are listed below.
- Cookie Killers
Check out VersionTracker.com for latest cookie killers.One trick to "stop" cookies is to make a folder and call it whatever the browser you're using calls it's cookie file (Netscape Windows calls it cookies.txt, Netscape Mac calls it MagicCookie), then replace that file with the folder you made and named. This works because a file cannot replace a folder of the same name.
Another option is WebEraser for Windows. A commercial product that will erase your cookie, your cache, and your paranoia! Check it out at WebStealth.
- Sites with more "cookie" information.
http://www.ids.net/~oops/tech/ref1.html Netscape's cookie tech notes http://www.research.digital.com/nsl/formtest/html/UserInput.html Test your browser http://www.cdt.org/privacy/priv_links.html The Center for Democracy and Technology - privacy links http://www.netscape.com/newsref/std/cookie_spec.html Netscape cookie spec http://www.comedia.com/Hot/security.html Internetworking security info http://www.etrust.org/ Promote trust in commerce http://www.sjmercury.com/business/cooki212.htm San Jose Merc article http://www.computerweekly.co.uk/gwspeak/cookie.html Cookie info http://www.burningdoor.com/sandbox/javascrp/cookies.htm Even more info.