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To: Dick Smith who wrote (3020)	10/22/1998 6:17:00 PM
From: Josef Svejk	Respond to of 32873

Humbly report, All, more on crumbled cookies for Mac and PC: www8.zdnet.com Cheers, Svejk proofsheet.com

To: Dick Smith who wrote (3020)	10/26/1998 4:57:00 PM
From: Spots	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 32873

>>[Using cookie control software] it's possible to use Yahoo portfolios, United Airlines, and other stupid sites which depend on cookies ... Ok, I've taken my stand against cookies, now for a bit on the other side... A cookie is essentially a context "token" which maintains context of a session with a context-free server. Take Yahoo and UAL sites, which doubtless serve millions of clients. To implement such a site, you can either maintain context on the servers, millions upon millions of accounts, or you can maintain context (portfolios, etc) on the client computer. The reason for putting the context on the client computer is pretty clear: The server cost would be prohibitive without the cookies for this sort of activity (Yahoo portfolios, e.g.). No cookie, no service. The trouble with cookies is not that they store context on your hard drive; it is that you do not control the use of that context, nor its duration. Like any powerful tool (and cookies are indeed that), cookies can be used and misused. To my mind the answer lies in enforceable protocols to control the use of client context. This is a hard problem. We are correct to worry about their misuse. However, cookies can be used to the great advantage of the client; sites that use them are not automatically "stupid". There may be no alternative to cookies but not offering the service. It is not reasonable to expect UAL servers to maintain context for millions of customers for free. Sadly, the cookie setters can also misuse the information. I wish there were a simple solution. Meanwhile, the best compromise IMHO is just what you're doing: Reject cookies except where required and you're willing to put up with the downside to use the service. Spots