About Cookies

What are cookies? Cookies are small text files that are delivered by a Web site to a user; the user returns the cookie to the original web site during a web session. Cookies are a way for a site to store user data, to tell the site that you have returned to the page again. Cookies are stored on the user's hard drive and during an active session cookies are stored in memory. "A Web site may set an expiration date for a cookie it delivers. If no expiration date is specified, the cookie is deleted when the user quits Netscape Navigator."

Examples of cookie use would be like items bought on line from a shopping cart or personal information like passwords or addresses for sites that require a log in (otherwise this information would need to be provided each log in). "Cookies are designed to be read only by the site that provides them, not by other sites."

What cookies can't do is read data on a hard drive, only information generated by the user. Cookies are non executable or unable to deliver viruses, Cookies aren't necessary to collect user information. Server administrators can create databases to track user information.

What are the down side of cookies? Cookies save time, helping sites "remember" who you are or products bought during an on-line shopping session but....

Don't want cookies? In Netscape, go to the "Edit" menu; click on Preferences and highlight "Advanced" under the "Category" box. Choose the option you desire, ranging from "Accept all cookies" to "Disable cookies."

Use of Cookies

The SANCTR Web site use "cookies" to help you personalize your online experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.

One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. The purpose of a cookie is to tell the Web server that you have returned to a specific page. For example, if you personalize SANCTR pages, or register with SANCTR site or services, a cookie helps SANCTR to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your personal information, such as billing addresses, shipping addresses, and so on. When you return to the same SANCTR Web site, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the SANCTR features that you customized.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of the SANCTR services or Web sites you visit.