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A Cookie is:
A very small text file saved on your hard
drive by a Web Page server. It is essentially your identification card for a particular Web site,
and cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses. A cookie is uniquely yours
and can only be read by the Web server that assigned it to you.
A Cookie's Purpose is:
To tell the Web server that you returned to that
Web page.
How a Cookie Helps You:
It saves you time. A cookie may save information which you provide us,
so you don't need to type the same information elsewhere on our site.
If you personalize pages, such as the Client Area, or register for products or services, a
cookie helps Silent Partners remember who you are.
Next time you return, we will
know to show you the information you requested. Moreover, when you register for
another product or service, all you need to do is type in your e-mail
address and a password. The cookie can then fill in any information you've already
provided. Of course, if you never register or provide Silent Partners with personal information,
then the Web server only knows that someone with your cookie
has returned to the Web site. You are always in charge of deciding whether we
know anything about you. But the more you tell us about yourself, the more
we can assist you in finding the information or services you are seeking.
Remember: you can always edit any personal information you give Silent Partners by stopping at
the Profile
Center.
How a Cookie Helps Silent Partners:
A Cookie allows us to be more efficient. We can learn what information is important to our
visitors, and what isn't. Our Web site can also better direct our visitors' Web browsers to
the correct page based on their system configuration. For example, our Web site can drive
a visitor to our Flash-enabled content, if they so desire. Furthermore, we can also discard
Web pages you don't use, and focus our efforts on information you want.
If You Want to Control Which Cookies You Accept:
You can configure your Web browser to
accept all cookies or to alert you every time a cookie is offered by a Web page. Therefore
you can decide whether to accept or decline a cookie.
If you're using Internet Explorer 6.0:
- Choose Tools from the menu, then
- Select Internet Options.
- Click the Privacy tab,
- The default setting is medium. Move the slider to determine which setting you prefer.
- You can also click on Advanced for specialized cookie treatment.
If you're using Internet Explorer 5.0:
- Choose Tools from the menu, then
- Select Internet Options.
- Click the Security tab,
- Click Internet, then Custom Level.
- Scroll down to Cookies and choose one of the two options.
If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0:
- Choose View from the menu, then
- Select Internet Options.
- Click the Advanced tab,
- Scroll down to the yellow exclamation icon under Security and choose one of the three
options to regulate your use of cookies.
If you're using Internet Explorer 3.0:
- Choose View from the menu, then
- Select Options.
- Click the Advanced tab.
- Check the option that says: Warn Before Accepting "Cookies."
If you're using Netscape Communicator 4.x:
- Choose Edit from the menu, then
- Select Preferences....
- Click on Advanced from the category list in the left pane.
- Set your options in the box labeled "Cookies".
How to See Cookies You've Accepted:
If you're using Internet Explorer 6.0 or 5.0:
- Choose Tools from the menu, then
- Select Internet Options.
- Under the tab, General (the default tab), click
- Settings, then
- Click View Files.
If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0:
- Choose View from the menu, then
- Select Internet Options.
- Under the tab, General (the default tab), click
- Settings, then
- Click View Files.
If you're using Internet Explorer 3.0:
- Choose View from the menu, then
- Select Options.
- Click Advanced, then
- Click View Files.
If you're using Netscape Communicator or Navigator 3.x/4.x:
- Netscape combines all cookies into one file on your
hard drive. You will need to search for the file, called "Cookie.txt" on
Microsoft® Windows® machines. It is normally stored in the root of the installation
directory for Navigator 3.x versions. In the case of Netscape Communicator 4.x, you will find this file
in the appropriate user profile folder, under the "Users" folder where Netscape is installed. You
may open "Cookies.txt" in any text editor, such as Notepad, but you will be warned against editing
the file. When you view the contents of "Cookies.txt", you will notice entries for each Web site which deposited their cookie on
your hard drive. If you delete this file, the Netscape browser application will regenerate an empty "Cookies.txt" file
on your hard drive in the same location.
How to See the Code in a Cookie:
Just double-click on a cookie to open it. For Internet Explorer browsers, you will be warned
that opening the file may be unsafe and asks if you wish to open it. Click "Yes" to open the cookie. Remember
cookies are just non-executable text files. Therefore, it does not execute any code or spread viruses
so it will not harm your computer. You'll see a short string of text and
numbers. Most of the time, the text you see in a cookie will look meaningless, because every site encode
their information differently. The numbers are analagous to your identification card, which can only be seen
by the Web server that gave you the cookie.
Last Updated:
12/7/2004 3:29:20 PM
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