Rex, thanks, that is all very good to know, and I know all that, so would it be better to just tell the browser in the preferences to NOT accept any cookies? Would that then slow up the process? I have set mine to only sites that I navigate to (Safari has this option) but I also navigate to sites that prove unsatisfactory, should I then trash these sites? My cookies are so plentyful at the moment that I think I should take some action. Marta On Jul 21, 2004, at 14:49, Rex Baldazo wrote:
> The biggest upside to cookies is that it's a way for Web sites to > remember you. That is unfortunately also the biggest downside. > > For example, once you've logged onto Amazon.com it sets a cookie in > your > browser so that the next time you visit, they can remember who you are > and give you personalized recommendations. > > By the same token it also means ad-serving companies can track you > across the Internet (in the interest of full disclosure, my employer > does serve ads from Doubleclick on occasion). So for example if you > visit two sites that both serve Doubleclick ads, then Doubleclick knows > something about your Web surfing habits and can (theoretically) use > that > profile information to target their ads better. And sell that profile > info to advertisers (i.e., Honda might want to target banner ads to > women with young kids, so Doubleclick could slice thru their database > looking for users who've visited both iVillage.com and Toysrus.com. It > wouldn't be a perfect demographic match but it might be pretty darned > good). > > --- Rex. > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu > [mailto:owner-macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu] On Behalf Of Marta > Edie > Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 2:38 PM > To: MacUser Group MacUserGroup > Subject: MacGroup: cookies > > Hello, group! > What are the benefits and disadvantages for keeping cookies or removing > cookies. Or: When might it become necessary to remove all cookies and > in > what way would that be beneficial or hurtful to me? I haven't heard the > official voice on that Marta > > > > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will be July 27. > | The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. > | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> > | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup> > > > > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will > | be July 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. > | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> > | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup> > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will | be July 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. | List posting address: <mailto:macgroup at erdos.math.louisville.edu> | List Web page: <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>
