By now (almost) everyone knows that cookies in your hard drive aren’t the kind you dunk in milk. However, the term “cookies” might be one of the most misunderstood concepts in Internet technology.
What the Cookies are Doing
A cookie is a piece of text that Web servers store on a user’s hard drive any time that user visits a certain website. Now this website can store the user’s information, such as their computer’s ID number. It keeps all of these little notes about the user’s recent and most frequent searches in a separate cookie file.
Why They Can Help
Cookies usually help the server more than the user, mostly because the user is unaware that the cookie is being stored in the first place. But when a cookie is retrieved and stored on the server, anyone who monitors a website can see how many new and returning visits they have gotten.
For the user, a cookie will store their user preferences on a certain site (especially e-commerce sites), making it possible for them to have a faster checkout by remembering their information. Also, it lets them keep a shopping cart or favorites list, active on the server’s site.
The Great Cookie Debate
While it is obvious that cookies serve some purpose for the server and the user, there is a lot of controversy over their existence. Some people feel that cookies compromise their privacy or security and give out personal information.
The truth is, it is possible for your computer’s cookie file to be used for spam or junk mail, so that point is valid. There is also the issue of computers with multiple users or any public use computer. Cookies can make it easier for someone to log on to an account that you may have left open.
Should You Erase Your Cookie File?
The answer to this is purely up to you. There are legitimate reasons that cookies are in place, and the amount of spam or junk mail you receive will not decrease by erasing them. If you erase the cookies from your hard drive, you will inevitably get them back, and it will probably consume more of your time than it’s worth.
