Cookies: What Are They?

Contributed by Elaine Landau

When we hear the word “cookies” we are a lot like Pavlov’s dogs. We envision cookies right out of the oven. Dipped in ice-cold milk, they are slurped up faster than Mom can yell, “Who ate all the cookies?” Well, this article is not about those cookies, so put away the ice-cold milk.

Back to the basics.
You can better determine whether cookies would be helpful to you with some basic computer instruction, basic computer training, and basic Internet training. Enhance your basic computer education with skill training and tutorials. The more you understand about your own computer, the more you will understand how cookies will fit into your computer lifestyle.

Computer cookies.
Simply put, computer cookies are tiny text files that web page servers put into your hard drive. Sounds painful, but you won’t feel a thing. A cookie is your IC card. It is yours alone and can only be read by the server that gave the cookie to you.

When you visit a web page and furnish information about yourself, that data is stored so you don’t have to reenter it every time you visit that page. That is a real time-saver if you use your computer a lot.

Each time you register for services or products, a cookie remembers. On your next return visit, the cookie knows to show you the information you requested. And the convenience goes even further. If you register for another service or product, all you have to do is type in your e-mail address and password. The cookie will fill in any questions you have answered previously. And there is no danger of a cookie spreading a dangerous virus.

Getting to know you.
Marketers don’t like to waste marketing dollars or time. Web page cookies are a marketers dream come true. If a certain computer user visits a web page frequently and orders the same kind of products or services, the cookie records the activities. The users buying trends are analyzed. The consumer’s interests, tastes, and hobbies are reflected in their purchases. When the consumer logs on to that favorite Web site, he/she is welcomed by a message such as, “If you liked xxxxx (which was a product or service previously ordered) you might like xxxxx, xxxxx, xxxxx, or xxxxx.” The web site now has the user’s attention. That list of products or services may be exactly what they are looking for. The consumer therefore wastes little time finding exactly what he/she wants and has an excellent buying experience with that web site. With a positive experience, that consumer will most likely return for that kind of personal customer service.

Prefer to stay private? It can be done.
Let’s say you have a cookie, but prefer to keep your personal information personal. No problem. When you log on, the server will know that someone with your cookie has logged on or returned to the web page, but that is all the information the cookie has. You are the master of your personal information domain. If you don’t want information out there, don’t type it in for the cookie to remember it.

If you are completely uncomfortable with cookies and the concept behind them, there is another solution. Cookies can be broken, or in this case, deleted. The process is easy and uncomplicated. For Windows 2000, just follow this checklist to rid yourself of cookies.

1. Close all web pages on your PC.
2. Go to START, to SETTINGS, and then to the CONTROL PANEL.
3. Go to INTERNET OPTIONS and click GENERAL.
4. Go to TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES, and select DELETE COOKIES and DELETE FILES. Click OK.

If you work on your computer a lot you should clean out your cookies on a daily basis. That way you know your personal information is not being stored anywhere except where you want it stored.

Hopefully, you understand cookies a little better. I, for one, got hungry while I was writing this. It’s time for my milk and cookie break.

About the Author:
Elaine Landau is a freelance writer, publicist, web site editor, and television writer with more than 15 years of experience in marketing, advertising, and publicity.

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