I quit using it. I decided cookies weren't a big deal.

Pooh Bear

Hi Pooh,

Why does SuperAntispyware, AdAware and Norton get rid of the cookies? What is the difference? Did those programs replace cookiewall or are the cookies they get rid of more of a threat than normal cookies? I am just trying to figure out what the difference is here. In other words what has changed? I am only asking because I want to learn more about this, it is somewhat confusing to me.

Ok there are Good Cookies, and there are Bad Cookies. Right? Some cookies we need, so how can those programs tell the difference? I know I repeated myself here but I was trying to break it down better.

thirdfrt!!!

I still use it.
I stop the cookies I think are "a pain"? (smiles)
The ones that clutter up.
That way, the ones needed stay and the new ones get knocked off as they come.

What is it you want to accomplish in regard to cookie management? I like things simple...I clear all my cookies each time I close my browser.

I clear all my cookies each time I close my browser

But then you have to re-sign in to each & all the sites you are a member of every time.

Urlee, if Kudzu places the needed cookies in a safe area using the cookie control in something like Ccleaner those will always be retained. To do this open Ccleaner, click Tools/Cookies and then move all the needed cookies to the right side.

Thirdfrt, cookies are not the big issue they were at first, we now have good 2 way firewalls protecting us from the phone home spies. For myself I only use Ccleaner perhaps monthly unless there becomes a need or feeling to do so earlier.

I don't use SuperAntispyware, AdAware, or Norton.
I use Avast and Outpost Firewall. And common sense. That's it.
A cookie is just a small text file. If someone wants to
track my boring online habits then they really need a life.
I decided cookies weren't worth bothering with.

Pooh Bear

(smiles)

Oh I LOVE that graphic.

Pooh Bear

urlee-
Yes, I do have to sign in again...but I prefer this from a security/privacy standpoint. I spend less time doing this than I would managing cookies.

I've found as the tracking cookies amass, they start slowing things down.

Never used the program. Better ways to deal with cookies.

Thank you, Pooh Bear, Urlee, owbist, kudzu9, maryland irisman and cynic for your posts on this subject. They are greatly appreciated.

Hi owbist,

Thirdfrt, cookies are not the big issue they were at first, we now have good 2 way firewalls protecting us from the phone home spies.

You are right, I was going back to when cookies were once a big issue and I was trying to find out what has changed since then? What did they find out about cookies that changed peoples minds about them? I do know that certain websites have logins like this forum does and without the cookie you can't get to this site. That much I know.

As maryland irisman stated that, if you have to many of the tracking cookies they can slow things down.

To go on farther, the next thing that I started hearing was about the spyware. Does spyware, adware, spam etc all come from tracking cookies? What about identity theft is that done with tracking cookies or is that totally different? I am just trying to find out a little more and hopefully this will help me as well as others to understand a little better as to why these programs are needed to protect us.

As far as the firewall is concerned I only have an inbound firewall, I once had ZoneAlarm but it caused problems with my OS and had to be removed. Are the paid firewalls better than the free ones? How can I find out which 2 way firewalls are better and that won't mess up my OS?

I consider you all the experts and I feel you can recommend good programs paid or free that will protect our computers. I just want to catch up to the new stuff and make sure that I have the most up to date stuff to protect myself. That is all this post is about because I know technology moves fast and before you know it something is out of date. I am getting back onto the computer more and have been out of the loop as they say because of illness and taking care of my mother who passed away in June of last year, so I haven't been on here like I used to be to keep up with things.

I appreciate all of your posts in helping me to catch up and understand the newer stuff that is out there that I may have missed. Thanks so much.

My OS is Windows XPSP2, I have SuperAntispyware, AdAware, Spybot Search and Destroy, Spyware Blaster and Norton Antivirus 2009 on this computer.

thirdfrt!!!

Here ya go Pooh,
Took some trial and error but I finally did it.

Well I think what has changed regarding cookies is attitude. When it was first discovered that they were being placed on computers the paranoid amongst us got all excited. Since then there has been an acceptance of them except for third party cookies which can still be considered a nuisance. Our anti malware programs take care of those and the 2 way firewalls prevent them phoning home while they are on a computer.

Maryland Irishman may well be right by suggesting too many cookies may slow a computer. But I suspect reasonable maintenance schedules used by most owners keep that to a minimum.

Firewalls are no different than any other program, there are so many opinions on the good and the bad it is hard to be objective. Here is a comparison chart but more interesting are the wide array of user comments underneath. These are all current comments made this month so nothing is outdated. I suppose the bottom line is that there is no 'best', just opinions of what is better.

Your Superantispyware rated tops at Gizmo's with AdAware cooming in third after Malewarebytes so you are well protected there.

I use the Cookie jar from Jason Levine at PCQ&A forum. You can find it here:http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/?page_id=14. It allows you to save only the cookies you want to save. All others will be emptied.

Thanks Urlee for my very own custom cookie.
I love it.

Computer cookies are just text files. They don't phone home.
They just sit there on your computer and wait to be called upon.
When you are surfing the web, a page can look and see what cookies
you have and tell where you have been. Say you visit the
Lowes website, then you go visit the Home Depot website.
Home Depot will see the Lowes cookies and know you are
shopping around for best prices. So they might display a
better price to you on their website. This has been documented.

Cookies in and of themselves are harmless.
They are just pieces of info stored in text form.

Pooh Bear

Thank you owbist, daylily and Poohbear for posting with your information. It was very informative and what I was looking for. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to explain this to me.

Urlee,

Your cookie to Poohbear is so cute. "Smiles"

thirdfrt!!!

the only ones I concern myself with are the third party tracking cookies there are some vulnerabilities that have been written about concerning them but you have the option in your browser settings to block all third party cookies I do advise doing that. This is one of those articles by Steve Gibson which does a good job of explaining them.
What are third-party cookies?

for firefox users here is all things cookie related and how to change settings
Cookies

there are also add-ons like cookie safe you could consider
CookieSafe 3.0.5

You are welcome Pooh.
Because of you, I discovered a new way of making them and came up with this.

Does anyone know anything about Luckman's Anonymous Cooky? I used to use it, found it worked well, but I screwed it up and can't get it back.

Anything comparable?

Thanks,

M

Cool cookies. Wish I could be more artistic like that.
Cookies are my nations national currency for Nation States.
Nation States is an online game I participate in.

Pooh Bear

Here is a link that might be useful: Nation States - Bears in the Woods

Thanks ravencajun,

I didn't know that you could go into IE and block the Third Party Cookies. Thanks so much for the "What are Third-Party Cookies" link. I saved it and I also followed their instructions as well.

Also when I went to the CookieSafe 3.0.5 link that you provided I found this at the bottom of the page. You might want to check it out, I really don't know what it all means but you should know when you look at it.

Version 3.0.5 Â January 27, 2009 Â 260 KB
* Improved error handling for the import/export features

Due to some technical problems related to the cookiesafe website I'm forced to temporarily remove the 'update blocklist' and 'clean cookies' features from the extension along with a few other links. They may be reimplemented at some point in a future version.

Thanks again.....

thirdfrt!!!

Thirdfrt the 'temporary removal' of those features may be to do with a legal threat. Big money can frighten small people by suggesting legal action even if the small guy is the good guy. There is a short thread on the subject at the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Explanation here

cookie safe is just one of many cookie control add-ons for firefox. I had not noticed he was taking a break but that happens a lot with some of these add-ons and little plugins and stuff like that, often they do them as a project and then move on to other stuff or real life demands too much of their time. This should be a list of some other cookie add-ons for firefox
Add-ons

I personally just follow Steve's advice and block the 3rd party cookies and thats it.

You might want to surf around on Steve Gibsons site GRC he is a very smart guy, I have been following his site and him for years, he was doing some appearances on Tech TV with Leo Laporte (another of my faves) and now they do some very interesting pod casts on TWIT.
TWiT.TV Â with Leo Laporte & Friends
Steve's section is called Security Now with Steve Gibson.