What are cookies in my computer? ?

Question

Every time I go in Internet Explorer, I go to Tools, Internet Options, browsing history, then settings. I go into View Files.. once I go into Temporary File (where the cookies and temp. internet files are) I find a HUGE list!!! Every time I delete them all, I go to check again and there's another longg list! What are these and how do I set up my computer options to automatically delete them?? It's very annoying! Sorry if the description wasn't very detailed. That was a long question haha thank you! :DD

Answer 1

Cookies (unlike the baked good) are small chunks of text stored on your computer from other sites.

The purposes of cookies vary from login details & shopping carts (useful) to nothing more than tracking your movements online (annoying).

The most annoying thing is that nearly every site uses cookies for whatever reason they like.  While you can block 3rd party cookies (usually from ad servers), you still get a lot of cookies from normal use.  There's pretty much 3 things you can do.

1) Block cookies from all sites except the ones that need them to function properly...  Pretty much any site you have an account on.

2) Use the "Delete Browser History" option & either hit "Delete Cookies" or "Delete All" buttons manually OR select "Delete Temporary Internet Files when browser is closed" option in the advanced settings.

3) Just Deal with them as part of online life

Cookies are a mixed blessing, so you'll have to take the good with the bad.

Answer 2

HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies, tracking cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a web client (usually a browser) and then sent back unchanged by the client each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for authenticating, session tracking (state maintenance), and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The term "cookie" is derived from "magic cookie," a well-known concept in UNIX computing which inspired both the idea and the name of HTTP cookies.

Because they can be used for tracking browsing behavior, cookies have been of concern for Internet privacy. As a result, they have been subject to legislation in various countries such as the United States, as well as the European Union. Cookies have also been criticized because the identification of users they provide is not always accurate and because they could potentially be a target of network attackers. Some alternatives to cookies exist, but each has its own uses, advantages, and drawbacks.

Cookies are also subject to a number of misconceptions, mostly based on the erroneous notion that they are computer programs. In fact, cookies are simple pieces of data unable to perform any operation by themselves. In particular, they are neither spyware nor viruses, despite the detection of cookies from certain sites by many anti-spyware products.

Most modern browsers allow users to decide whether to accept cookies, but rejection makes some websites unusable. For example, shopping carts implemented using cookies do not work if cookies are rejected.

Set your browser's Options to delete files when you close the browser.

How to delete cookie files in Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7 - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/278835

Ron

Answer 3

They are small text files that are saved by some websites. These cookies store information about you and your session. Almost all major websites, including Yahoo!, store cookies on your computer. They can only be text files, and are completely harmless.

There's really no need to constantly delete them. If you are really paranoid about privacy or something, using IE is kinda defeating the purpose. Firefox has an option to clear all personal data on exit, cookies included.

Answer 4

Im using CCleaner once a months ill will scan my pc and clear the cookies and other temporary internet files

Download this software CCleaner at http://www.ccleaner.com/

Answer 5

HTTP cookies, or more commonly referred to as Web cookies, tracking cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a web client (usually a browser) and then sent back unchanged by the client each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for authenticating, session tracking (state maintenance), and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The term "cookie" is derived from "magic cookie," a well-known concept in UNIX computing which inspired both the idea and the name of HTTP cookies.

Because they can be used for tracking browsing behavior, cookies have been of concern for Internet privacy. As a result, they have been subject to legislation in various countries such as the United States, as well as the European Union. Cookies have also been criticized because the identification of users they provide is not always accurate and because they could potentially be a target of network attackers. Some alternatives to cookies exist, but each has its own uses, advantages, and drawbacks.

Cookies are also subject to a number of misconceptions, mostly based on the erroneous notion that they are computer programs. In fact, cookies are simple pieces of data unable to perform any operation by themselves. In particular, they are neither spyware nor viruses, despite the detection of cookies from certain sites by many anti-spyware products.

Most modern browsers allow users to decide whether to accept cookies, but rejection makes some websites unusable. For example, shopping carts implemented using cookies do not work if cookies are rejected.