BajaNomad

Logging out

Marinero - 5-11-2006 at 08:54 AM

I often forget to log off the Forum when I leave. Sometimes I remain "logged on" for days at a time. I probably am still trainable dispite advancing age and tequila destroyed brain cells, but I was wondering if it hurts anything to remain logged on. It is better for the Forum to remember to log off when I am not actually on-line?

Bill Barbour:?:

Excellent question, Bill-----

Barry A. - 5-11-2006 at 09:03 AM

--------I have NEVER logged "off", or "on", for that matter. Never knew that I was supposed to.


Are we supposed to????

burro bob - 5-11-2006 at 09:10 AM

When you log in you get a cookie put on your computer. If you log off the cookie is removed. If you just shut down then the cookie might or might not still be on your computer, it depends on your browser and how you have it set. I use Firefox and have it set to remove all cookies when I close the browser.
The only problem with staying logged in is that your computer might get fat from eating all those cookies.
burro bob

Logging out

Marinero - 5-11-2006 at 09:50 AM

Well, if you don't log on you don't get full privileges in posting, as I understand it. So I would guess we all log on at one time or another. There is an information box in the upper righthand corner of the screen that tells you your logged-in status.

Eating Cookies? :lol: good call............. I just dump cookies from time to time manually. Sort of an eating disorder I guess:wow:

OK, now I am really confused-----

Barry A. - 5-11-2006 at 10:01 AM

-------my computer gives no indication that it is "growing" in size. I have never understood what a "cookie" is, but I do know that they ARE fattening. :lol:

We are on a cable highspeed connection, and it is only shut down for about 8 hours a day (at night). The "Nomads board" is in my "favorites", and it is on my "side bar" all day long as I put it there every morning (from my favorites). As stated, I never log on, or off. When I bring "Nomads" up on the screen from my side bar, I just have to hit "refresh" and it becomes instantly current. I have never known of any "restrictions" on my posting. In the upper right hand corner it says: "Logged in as Barry A.".

Is this a "problem"?? Should I be doing something else??

burro bob - 5-11-2006 at 10:35 AM

Marinero
No it is not a problem and your computer won't really get fat, digital cookies have no calories.
A cookie is just a piece of info passed out by the server to store on your computer. In this case it just tells the server, everytime you post, that you are who you say you are, you don't have to type that info in every time. Other cookies keep track of the last page you visited on their site. Most cookies are harmless but some can be mallicious. These keep track of your browsing habits and report back to a server. Once your computer contacts their computer, via the cookie they left on your machine, they can then send you unwanted email.
At first I never logged in. I just typed in my log in name and my password each time I responded to a post. It would post but I didn't get any credit for it, I was a newbie a long time.
You can't get U2U"s if you are not logged in.
Also it is not a problem for the server for you to stay logged in.
burro bob

Sharksbaja - 5-11-2006 at 10:44 AM

Bill, I have been logged in for two years with the exception of a few days. My computer browser settings allow that. I just don't let it eat cookies made from transfats, they gum up the works.

Hurts nothing and no, you don't keep acquiring the same cookie. All the cookie does is save your computer from looking up the address or contents of a page all over again every time you visit.
Typically they are comprised of GIFS, text,jpegs or HTML script.They speed up your access to the internet site by eliminating the need to download the contents of every page all over again. If the page has changed since your last visit, then your computer will be prompted to download the newest version of the page but will retain redundant items. Comprende? Also, cookies are/have been used to imbed malware or spyware software on your computer. This is not a serious issue anymore as Windows has anti-spyware software in their auto-updates. Older computers running Winows 95,98, 2000 really need third party security upgrades like Norton Symantec.
It's a good idea to intsall a good anti-virus program on ALL computers, however new operating systems have many security features already installed.

Thanks Sharks and Bob and Bill for starting this thread----

Barry A. - 5-11-2006 at 10:47 AM

----I hope I did not divert it from your original question, Bill. If I did, I apologise.

This is all good stuff, and I learn things, today. Now, if I can just remember?????:?:

Marinero - 5-11-2006 at 12:09 PM

Thanks to all...

bill

Bruce R Leech - 5-11-2006 at 12:25 PM

OK then I'm not logging off anymore. I want to keep my cookies.:light:

Logging out

Marinero - 5-11-2006 at 02:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
OK then I'm not logging off anymore. I want to keep my cookies.:light:


Bruce:
A rich man eats when he is hungry; a poor man eats when he has food......Mexican Proverb

Since you are keeping your cookies, you must be a rich man!!
:yes:

BajaNomad - 5-11-2006 at 03:31 PM

Be careful, as you may be confused over the replies above... some of which is pretty accurate and some of which is not.

The answer to your question, is no, there's no problem staying "logged in." The cookie placed on your machine is simply used to identify which user you are here when you visit. Each user can identify personal settings that are specific to their experience here, including what time zone they are in. If you remain logged-in but are not actually here visiting the site, then the site/server is not affected in any way, so there's no ill-effect on this site/server.

If you stay logged in, the cookie will eventually expire, requiring you to log in again. I believe the cookies are set to expire in 90 days - so if you don't log out and then back in, it'll make you log in again after about 90 days.

--
Doug

[Edited on 5-12-2006 by BajaNomad]

Thank you, Doug.

Barry A. - 5-11-2006 at 03:44 PM

----I don't recall having to EVER log in (after my initial log-in), but maybe I have had to a couple of times in as many years.

If the "cookie" expires after 90 days, I have not experienced that, to my best recollection. (knowing my memory, that is a very unreliable statement)

BajaNomad - 5-11-2006 at 04:28 PM

The 90 days might have been with the older forum software... and there might be a new - longer - setting with this version that I was unaware of.

Bruce R Leech - 5-11-2006 at 04:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Marinero
Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
OK then I'm not logging off anymore. I want to keep my cookies.:light:


Bruce:
A rich man eats when he is hungry; a poor man eats when he has food......Mexican Proverb

Since you are keeping your cookies, you must be a rich man!!
:yes:


no it is just that the last time I lost my cookies It did not feel so good.:lol:

Getting Control

MrBillM - 5-11-2006 at 04:46 PM

EVERY computer I set up, whether for myself or a customer, I do the following: I set the cookies to "accept cookies from the originating site only", "notify me before accepting a cookie" and "set the cookies to expire at the end of the current session". The last wipes those cookies clean when I shutdown. Additionally, I set the browser to NOT accept any unrequested popup windows. Whenever I set this up for someone else, I give them a detail sheet showing them how to make changes to those settings in the event it keeps them from utilizing a particlular site feature. When accepting cookies, I have a rule that I'll accept the first two from a trusted site, after that "Screw em". I NEVER have a problem fully utilizing my browser because of it.

David K - 5-11-2006 at 05:16 PM

You will need to 'log in/on' when you use a different or new computer... like an an Internet cafe. Be sure to LOG OUT, so the next person won't be on Baja Nomad using your handle or name.

Don't forget your Nomad password!

[Edited on 5-12-2006 by David K]

OOPs, sorry

Sharksbaja - 5-11-2006 at 06:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lencho
Quote:
Originally posted by Sharksbaja
All the cookie does is save your computer from looking up the address or contents of a page all over again every time you visit.
Typically they are comprised of GIFS, text,jpegs or HTML script.


Detail: the images and pages stored in your browser cache, are NOT the same as cookies, and serve different purposes.

The former are stored locally by the browser at its whim to speed things up by avoiding repeated downloads of the same (usually bulky) information. The latter (cookies) are explicitly requested to be stored on the local computer by the page author to save state information between pages since the Web (well, HTTP) is a stateless medium and each page is loaded into what is essentially a blank slate with no memory of what the current requester of a page has done previously. A bit hard to personalize the user experience with that setup, so the cookie was invented.

--Larry


You guys are correct. I'm confusing the temp files with cookie files.Text cookies are the only ones stored on personal computers I guess. I was thinking of the Temp files which are utilized in loading previously visited pages. So the temp files are updated(image files, HTML docs etc.) if it doesn't match the current one was my understanding.
Some folks turn off the temp file feature so they are deleted upon closing and therefore have to wait for all the pages to load as they are visited next time. Many people forget to occasionally delete the temp files. This can bog down or can disable ones ability to "save picture" from web pages.

[Edited on 5-12-2006 by Sharksbaja]

Marinero - 5-12-2006 at 08:25 AM

Great advice David K.

Bill