ok, really stupid question

[mrmcdonaldduck]

ummm, what are cookies? in the techno sense of the word. i really have no idea and when people say it i just nod my head and hope i dont look like an ass.

[Matty.]

i think its like data storage. im not sure though???

example: when i finish on VT for the day i never log out and when i come back on again it automatically logs me in. does that make sense???


ooooh yahoo! is a good example as whenever i turn on the home page it has me logged in already.

the remember me box when you sign in is an example of cookies. if you click it you will never have to log on again (unless if you log out).

[nick]

A cookie is a piece of data stored on your pc by an external website. They can be used for all sorts of things that you're not even aware of, including to keep track of what you do on a site and what your browsing habits are. You can choose not to allow cookies to be saved if you're worried about them, but various sites wont work properly without them!

[Aves]

http://marianina.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/Cookies.jpg
^These are cookies :P^

A cookie is a piece of data stored on your pc by an external website. They can be used for all sorts of things that you're not even aware of, including to keep track of what you do on a site and what your browsing habits are. You can choose not to allow cookies to be saved if you're worried about them, but various sites wont work properly without them!

But this is what they really are.

[mrmcdonaldduck]

ok thanks everyone. and connor can i haz some cookies?

[Aves]

Yes you can Jason :)

[obiwan94]

Nom nom nom....coookie! but srsly...I want cookies! cookies and milk are the best midnight snack ever!

But yeah they store stuff like login info so that you dont have to re-enter it on every page. Some cookies are deleted once you close your browser and some stay around for a while so that next time you visit you dont have to enter information. Thing is, I think that a bad cookie can follow you around the internet and give people information about your browsing habits. I remember some big thing about cookies being bad because they can violate your privacy.