Thanks for all the comments guys. I was thinking along the lines of Scott. I was wondering if there was a way to check to see if cookies were enabled. I was just going to let them know and not let them continue until cookies were invoked.
How would this affect search engine spiders? Maybe I need to let them continue (and just notify them that the shopping cart will not retain their selections) or the spiders will not get their work done. Any comments? I like the idea of providing instructions for them. Now I need to figure out how to check for cookies. Thanks Ben for the link. Thanks Steve -----Original Message----- From: John McGowan [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2004 8:25 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Witango-Talk: Cookies Listen to Scott on this one. If you can educate just one user that turning session cookies back on isn't going to blow up their computer or get their credit card stolen then our society becomes one step closer to nirvana. If you were an auto dealer and a customer brought their car in and said they didn't "like to have the battery plugged in", but wanted to know why they couldn't start their car, would you install a hand crank for them to start their car? I know... It's a weak analogy... :) /John Scott Cadillac wrote: >Hi Steve, > >If you recall, the point and the conclusion on that long discussion was "security" - if a user >has session-cookies disabled, then so be it. Just display a message telling them to turn it >back on before allowing them to proceed (provide instructions). > >This is the most secure way to handle session management for any web platform (SSL is a >different matter). > >The issue is about security - why compromise security for user convenience. Giving them >convenience now just delays more serious problems until a later date. > >---- >Yes, additional user variables may be assigned on the Server because of missing session- >cookies. Unfortunately, it is one down-side to pay for better security for your visitors. > >----- >As for testing for cookies, writing a bit of code for this is not difficult - but keep in mind >there is a different between "session" cookies and regular cookies, and that most every modern >browser has settings for both kinds (and that some browsers use different terminology to >describe these two kinds of cookies). > >Hope this helps. Cheers.... > >Scott Cadillac, >XML-Extranet ~ 403-254-5002 ~ [EMAIL PROTECTED] >------------ >Well-formed Programming in C# ASP.NET, Witango and XML >For Hire ~ http://xmlx.ca/forhire >------------ >IExtranet ~ http://IExtranet.net >------------ >Weblog ~ http://xmlx.ca >Forums ~ http://forums.xmlx.ca >Knowledge Base ~ http://kb.xmlx.ca >------------ >P.O. Box 69006 >RPO Bridlewood SW >Calgary, Alberta >Canada T2Y 4T9 > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: "Fogelson, Steve" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "Witango User Group (E-mail)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:40:48 -0500 >Subject: Witango-Talk: Cookies > > > >>I have built my shopping cart application without <@userreference> tag >>at >>the end of each url. It seemed after all the discussion about a year >>ago >>that this was the way to go. Especially with search engine spiders and >>hijacked sessions. >> >>I talked to one of our online customers today and discovered that he >>was >>being assigned a new session id every time he added an item to his >>cart. >> >>I'm trying to figure out a strategy for handling customers that have >>disabled cookies, besides requiring them to sign in when entering the >>site. >> >>Is there a way to check to see if they have cookies disabled? >> >>Any ideas on how to handle customers that have disabled cookies? >> >>I am also concerned about all the user variables being created for this >>type >>of customer. Thanks in advance for your help. >> >>Steve Fogelson >>Internet Commerce Solutions >> >> >>_______________________________________________________________________ >>_ >>TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf >> >> > > >________________________________________________________________________ >TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf > > > ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf ________________________________________________________________________ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Go to http://www.witango.com/developer/maillist.taf
