cookies -- delete or not?

[jharris]

On a shared computer with internet access, should the cookies be deleted for each user once their session is done? For a Win98 system, is it easiest to accomplish this in the autoexec.bat file?

What are the pros and cons of deleting cookies?

Thanks in advance.

[Xayd]

Pro's---Password protected sites can store personal info that is readily accessible next time you go to the site, to keep those "personalized pages" and such.

Con's---Who likes websites writing to yourr hard drive without your knowledge ?

I don't think cookies are evil, and I've never come across one in my 6 years on the 'net that did any damage to my computer. Then again I don't let them run rampant. I set my cache to 1 meg, so there's a base minimum of that kinda stuff stored, after a couple days I wipe all temp files.

Xayd

[archie]

The files are placed in two locations:
c:\windows\cookies and c:\windows\temporary internet files
With win98 and IE5, one of way to delete is the "Delete Files" in Tools, Internet Options, then go to "settings", "view files". On that screen, click on Internet Address or date last accessed to list them in order. When deleted from there, the files are deleted from both locations.

[Misdiagnosed]

Cookies bother people if they come in on a program and you are not the registered user. They also bother me if I start getting junk mail from someone I never asked for it from, just don't know if the cookie is being accessed by the people who placed it either.
Kill cookies. I know they can be good, but EVERYONE should be asked before a cookie is placed. If I were a bad guy, I'd place a BDO program in your puter, then access such info, get your cc#, etc. Use a firewall folks, some stop cookies, ad banners, and other annoying intrusions. BDO type programs are common, and almost all computers are infected eventually, most not detected, untill too late. Also, use multiple AV programs. Some BDO type programs are undetectable by some AV programs untill they are in your machine broadcasting your IP address. A Trojan cleaner is nice too.

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Your just jealous because the voices talk to ME.

[jharris]

Okay, so cookies are expendable. It's no problem to get rid of them by deleting a couple of directories.

Now, the next question ... when using a cable modem with a dynamic IP address, what about a firewall? Also, I've heard stories about people on the same node having access to other peoples files (on other machines on the same node). Are these legitimate concerns, and how do you proctect yourself?

[Statica]

If you're using nutscape a handy way to fool sites into thinking that cookies are set is to delete the file cookies.txt from your profile directory ..

then make a folder called cookies.txt .. then turn on allowing cookies to be set!

[Sgsteve]

What exactly is a BDO program? Can you recommend a Trojan cleaner? Won't an up to date Norton AV catch trojan horse programs?

[glc]

Best Trojan cleaner I have found is The Cleaner from http://www.moosoft.com

Norton can catch "some" trojans but is nowhere as near effective as a dedicated program such as The Cleaner.