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Tech: The Cookie Monster
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Subject: The Cookie Monster From: GUEST,An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 08 May 02 - 12:25 PM Well I've been there (the Mudcat Eurogathering), done that (played a few tunes) and even bought and worn the Tee-shirt (though I still have to pay for it!). So I'm thinking it's time I abandoned Guest status and signed up as a legit 'Catter. But I'd still like advice on two issues. First, I've seen a lot of postings lately from people whose cookies seem to keep getting gobbled up by some monster in the machine. Is this a temporary problem, and should I wait till it's resolved, or should I just sign up anyway and keep a few couques au beurre in my pocket to supplement my rations? Second, guidelines for internet use in my workplace indicate that newsgroups can be a source of virus infection, and ask us not to sign up for them. Is there anything about a newsgroup which makes it a more dangerous medium for virus transmission than e-mail? |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: Noreen Date: 08 May 02 - 01:00 PM M. Le Plumber, the cookie is a bit of code stored in your computer, so crumbling problems are to do with the user's computer, rather than Mudcat itself. Recent problems may have been due to increasing use of WebTV, firewalls, etc., but nothing that Mudcat can resolve centrally. If your cookie crumbles it's usually very simple to reset, so don't worry about that. I'll leave your second question to those with more techy knowledge on that area- but I've never had any contamination from Mudcat! Lovely to meet you at the weekend, btw. Noreen |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: MMario Date: 08 May 02 - 01:03 PM well - the Mudcat Cafe is not a news group - so there should be no problem there. Newsgroups are targeted by some virus people - and increase your risk because many of them will greatly increase your volume of e-mail. ( I used to subscribe to a newsgroup that averaged over 600 e-mails to my account daily) the "cookie crumbling" problem appears to be based more in individual computers and isp's then anything under mudcat control - and there are nice simple links both on the main pages and in the help forum for resetting your cookie. Other then times I have for one reason or another deleted my cookie I have only "lost" it once or twice in five years - other people lose it frequently. |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: Sorcha Date: 08 May 02 - 02:57 PM I have never had any trouble with my cookie, but I clear my TempFiles cache at least every other day, sometimes daily and then just go to ReSet Cookie. Never caught any nasty diseases from the 'Cat either....(except the AddictedBlabberMouthDisease) |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: wysiwyg Date: 08 May 02 - 05:54 PM And MudGather psychosis, scientifically known as Pernicious Infectious Gatherosis. ~S~ |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: Amos Date: 08 May 02 - 07:20 PM If your cookie DOES crumble, there's a quick link at the top of the page (the little drop-down menu) called "Reset Cookie". Select it and press "Go". You'll be asked for your password and possibly your user name and your "cookie" will be reset. The 'Cat acts differently than a Usenet news group or other kind of subscription news list. You aren't receiving mail from the Cat -- and there aren't any attachments. So your risk ov viruses is very low. A |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: Jon Freeman Date: 08 May 02 - 07:25 PM 1. Don't wait, go to membership and login/reset cookie. If that fails for any reason, check out the FAQ permathread and if you still have problems you can't solve (highly unlikely), ask in the Help forum. 2.I guess it depends on which newsgroups - maybe the binary ones for example could by dodgy if you played with the binaries. I've been "subscribed" to alt.banjo, uk.music.folk, rec.music.folk and rec.music.celtic for longer than I have been on Mudcat and apart from one person managing to send happy99.exe out, I have had no problems and certainly not had the experience MMario mentioned. Your work and their policies are things you should follow but if you are considering viewing newsgroups at home, I'd say that provided you use the sensible precations of not opening attachments (unless you know exactly what you are opening), have up to date virus software, disable javascript (as I'd suggest you should with email), you should be safe. In fact one of the advantages of the newsgroups I visit is that they contain a number of people who have been around on the Internet for a long while - these people are less likely to inadvertantly send you a virus than people who have not got much expreience. Jon |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: artbrooks Date: 08 May 02 - 08:18 PM 1. No problem 2. No problem 3. Welcome!!! |
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Subject: RE: The Cookie Monster From: Joe Offer Date: 09 May 02 - 12:52 AM Well, if I had a name like An Pluiméir Ceolmhar, I'd certainly like to have a Mudcat cookie, so I didn't have to type that every time I posted a message. The Fadas do present some problem for searching, but people should be able to find you if they look for Ceolmhar. Welcome to Mudcat! what do we call you for short - An??? Jon mentions that somebody passed on a worm called happy99.exe - this was done by e-mail, and not by logging onto the Mudcat Forum. If you post your e-mail address anywhere on the Internet, you'd likely to be put on one list or another (or a dozen). It's OK to put your e-mail address on Mudcat registration. It's relatively secure (only Mudcat administrators have access, and we don't release information to anybody), although I have to admit it's not impossible for a hacker to find his way into places he/she shouldn't be. If you're paranoid about hackers, you shouldn't be on the Internet. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: paddymac Date: 09 May 02 - 01:39 AM A beautiful thing about Mudcat is the depth and breadth of knowledge of its members on a great variety of topics, and their readly willingness to help out, including answers to tech problems beyond most of us. Welcome to the family. |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: Jeri Date: 09 May 02 - 09:55 AM Joe, Jon was talking about newsgroups in regards to happy99.exe. I've only seen a virus on a newsgroup once or twice and didn't have a problem because my software reads text only. I think the danger with newsgroups is that there are more messages and they come from unknown sources and echo what Jon said about disabling javascript. |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: GUEST,Jeff Keane Date: 09 May 02 - 10:40 AM Jon Freeman mentioned that: 'one person managed to send happy99.exe out How can you 'send out' a virus on a newsgroup? I don't understand this at all. As far as I was aware, accessing newsgroups meant looking at text messages. I've used various methods such as 'tin' and 'nn' when I was a student using UNIX, through to Outlook Express. Currently, I tend to use 'google groups'(formally deja news) How can you get a virus from using any of the above? Also I've never seen any javascripts in newsgroup messages. I'm getting pretty confused here! Expanations much appreciated Jeff Keane
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: MMario Date: 09 May 02 - 10:52 AM many people currently access newsgroups through their web browsers and recieve all the messages as "normal" e-mail. so they can have anything that normal e-mail would! |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: GUEST,Jeff Keane Date: 09 May 02 - 10:57 AM Mmario, I can't understand why anyone would do that. Your experience of 600+ messages a day, shows that it's not a good idea! (imagine having every Mudcat post emailed to you!) Jeri said that Jon's problem was a newgroup one, not an email one. And I still don't understand where javascript comes into all this Jeff Keane |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: Jeri Date: 09 May 02 - 11:00 AM Google uses your browser, not your e-mail program. They collect, index and "webpagify" the messages from their original format. If you download NG messages and read them with an e-mail/news software, they can pass viruses and worms the same exact way e-mail does. If you use software that has javascript enabled, it will automatically run the script for a worm and you're infected. If you open an attachment in a newsgroup message (most newsgroups don't allow them but people occasionally stick 'em in anyway), you can get infected the same way you would with e-mail. This message contains a warning for a virus that was posted to uk.music.folk. This was the thread it was posted in, but it looks like Google zapped it - the original virus-containing message isn't there.
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: JohnInKansas Date: 09 May 02 - 11:06 AM RE the original question: If you "clean" your machine by deleting all the cookies, you will, of course, loose your mudcat cookie. There shouldn't be any problem just logging back in if you remembered to write down your ID and password, exactly as you put them in. I'm speculating, but it appears that most of those who go on for several posts without resetting have simply forgotten their password. Quite a few people use machines at work or at libraries, at least occasionally, and many of these machines are set up to refuse cookies. Quite of the "cookieless" posts are not a "lost" cookie - just an "I'm not allowed to use one here." As others have said, no place on the web can guarantee absolute safety, but mudcat is one of very few places where I don't feel paranoid - about virus attacks. John |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: MMario Date: 09 May 02 - 11:07 AM Which is why I shifted over to reading through google - even though I miss a lot of posts that way. |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: GUEST,Jeff Keane Date: 09 May 02 - 11:14 AM Thank you Jeri, It begins to make a bit more sense... Still don't fully understand how anyone could put a javascript in a text message, but never mind. Curious as to why people still want to download a heap of newsgroup messages. A few years ago, sure, but with the 'fixed price' ISPs of the last few years taking over, surely using Google Groups or something similar is a lot easier? Jeff Keane
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: GUEST,Jeff Keane Date: 09 May 02 - 11:17 AM Mmario, Why do you lose a lot of posts with Google? Does Google not give the entire Newsgroup? Jeff |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: MMario Date: 09 May 02 - 11:25 AM no - google does not get the entire newsgroup - it misses some messages completly - and others messages are "not archived" - merely sent out to the news servers. this is true of many news servers - i used to subscribe to three - one which got e-mailed to me as it was the most complete - and two which I checked via web, PLUS I would look at dejanews as well - content would be different on all four; though it was the same newsgroup on all four servers. |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: Jon Freeman Date: 09 May 02 - 11:36 AM Personally I find the Google system (and it's predecessor - DejaNews) cumbersome compared to the newsgroups software. Yes, Jeff, the problem I mentioned was seeing one virus hitting a newsgroup I read (in 3 or 4 years). I have been aware of rather more instances of members here recieving viruses via email and at times fearing they have passed them on to others here via email in a similar period. I don't consider the risks in corresponding to others here via email great BTW - I'm just trying to put my own experiences and observations into perspective. JavaScript via plain text, no. JavaScript via HTML yes. Many email and news programs, Outlook Express being the most notorious will read and interpret HTML and will even by default run JavaScript and can give you a virus without you even opening an attachment. This is not a newsgroup vs email issue, it can happen with both. Jon |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 16 May 02 - 05:38 AM Thanks for all the tech advice, which was in keeping with the overwhelmingly helpful spirit of the responses I got when I first hit Mudcat looking for the words of a song which a colleague wanted to quote in a speech. So I finally discarded Guest status, set up my cookie, switched off my PC and went home at the start of a holiday weekend. Came back on Monday and couldn't get through to Mudcat for three whole days. I thought that the Cookie Monster had struck again! However, I've been reassured to learn today that I wasn't the only one affected, and have just got my daily fix of Mudcat's best non-Java coffee. |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 16 May 02 - 06:25 AM PS. Regarding short forms of address, I'll happily answer to "apc" or even "plumber". An Pluiméir Ceolmhar = The Musical Plumber. I did a post explaining the background on a thread about Mudcat nicknames recently, but haven't been able to track it down using the search engine. If I do I'll be only too glad to flaunt my newly-acquired (thanks to Mudcat) blue clicky skills. I've been using a Belgian keyboard which has easily-used accent keys for the last ten years, and was so delighted that a US-based server didn't reject the fada that I had to go on using it. PPS I'm glad to report that my ever-efficient present wife paid Mooman for the T-shirt, so I can die and go to Mudcat heaven with a clear conscience.
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: Noreen Date: 16 May 02 - 08:42 AM M. le Plombeur, if you click on your name, where it says From: at the top of your previous post, it takes you to a page where you will see all that you have ever posted here(under that name, anyway). Alternatively, go to the Forum search in the drop-down menu (Where it says quick links) at the top of every page, to search for the story of your name. I would like to read it. Noreen |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 16 May 02 - 09:17 AM Thanks, Noreen. I've just realised that the problem is probably due to the fact that I previously posted as GUEST apc. I'll rummage some more, then I really must get back to the day job if I want to keep it! R. |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 16 May 02 - 11:32 AM Eureka! Found the explanation of the name (in between doing bits of work) in the Hartlepool monkey thread, where I posted it in reply to a question from another poster on that thread. No wonder it An Pluiméir Ceolmhar "...is Irish for "The Musical Plumber", because I play uilleann pipes. It's a reference to the scene in Flann O'Brien's hilarious "The Poor Mouth" which features Dublin members of the Gaelic League who adopt Irish pen names for their literary endeavours. Every summer they dress up in homespun tweeds and, armed with notebooks and pencils, descend like bird-watchers on the mythical Kerry region of Corca Dorcha to study the language and habits of native speakers of Irish. It's also a self-deprecating homage to my late parents. My father, who trained as a post and telegraphs instrument technician, used "plumber" as a term of abuse for sloppy tradesmen (I don't think I'll ever be a great piper). My mother, who didn't regard Irish trad as real music, was convinced that the music (i.e. classical) had skipped a generation in our family." The reference to SeaCats in one of my posts about the name refers to a mythical monster depicted in An Béal Bocht as the source of much grief to the country - it's actually a map of Ireland itself, turned on its side. One of the ferry companies operating between Britain and Ireland called its catamaran ferries SeaCats, which struck me as a bit of unconscious humour.
And by ze way, if you want to address me [i]en français[/], which is also a welcome form of address, it's
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 16 May 02 - 11:38 AM Hmmm. Some further html training required... Meant to say: "No wonder it didn't pop up straight away." How do I edit a previous posting? |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: Jon Freeman Date: 16 May 02 - 11:53 AM You can't but read the FAQ. Try here. Jon |
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Subject: RE: tech: The Cookie Monster From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar Date: 07 Aug 02 - 11:58 AM One of my daughters has just FW-e-mailed me an amusing animation entitled "Cookie blues" which I'd like to share with Mudcatters. It's a 6MB file with file extension "mpa". Does someone want to put it up on a (non-commercial) website so that others can be directed to it by blue clickie? |
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