Flash Cookies
Just a quick one today. It seems that cookies are more than just tasty little treats. I’ve never advocated all-out removal of internet cookies, they are useful way to save you time when you are on the internet. They generally have a Time To Live and are restricted as to how much information they can store. More often then are just used as a marker for websites when you return so they can help you carry on where you left off. Of course, if you really want to rid yourself of them then it’s generally a very easy process… Not so with Flash cookies. To be honest, I only learnt about them from a recent Slashdot article. Alas, you can’t just delete these in the way you can a normal cookie. They also have the ability to store far more information and don’t have the option for an unlimited Time To Live. Not cool at all! Still, you are able to delete them, but only through Macromedia’s website using a flash GUI. Personally, I feel this leaves a more pressing issue though, if we can only delete them through Macromedia’s website, who is controlling what they put on your machine. Yet another black mark against proprietary systems.