Final Cookie Thoughts
June 14, 1999
Cookies provide a very convenient means for maintaining
state across multiple sessions. For long-term memory,
the cookie is a useful tool; however, many developers
have come to rely on using cookies to provide short-term
memory -- that is, maintaining state within a session.
We don't, however, recommend this practice.
Some browsers do not support cookies, while many other
browsers may have cookie support disabled by preference
of the user. In addition, there is a considerable ethical
bias against cookies in the online community, and even
if this bias may be rooted in certain misperceptions,
there may be some value for a web developer to avoid confronting
negative vibes when reasonable alternatives exist.
In the end, "informed consent" is likely the
safest bridge between users and the technology which
supports them. A site which functions best using cookies
for multiple session state maintenance is best advised
to disclose this information to the user, perhaps including
exactly what information the site will "remember".
An option to forego the cookie may also be appreciated by
visitors.
Cookie Example: Part II -- Creating the Cookie
The Perl You Need to Know
Single-Session State Maintenance AKA "Building a Pizza" Scenario
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