Tech: Something keeps eating my cookies!!

Subject: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 04:57 PM

Ever since the 'Cat was down, I always have to reset my cookie every time I'm on! Is it me, or are Max and Pene still ironing out the bugs? (now there's a visual image...)

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 07:39 PM

Sounds like Sesame Street / the Muppet Show - Cookie Monster and somebody ironing bugs...
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 11:50 PM

Well, I was out of town for six days, PC turned off, Mudcat dead and then rose again on the fourth day, and my cookie is intact. Is it only the Mudcat cookie that's being eaten?

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 01:26 AM

One might imagine that during the absence of Mudcat, someone might get desparate enough to do those Windows updates that weren't current?

Some of the recent Mickey$oft "security fixes" do change how IE handles cookies, even though the settings look the same as before. I would suspect that other browsers may have offered similar "fixes" since many of these changes are in response to fairly specific "threats."

If you've made some of those updates recently, your browser might continue to use an existing cookie, but refuse to accept (and retain) a new "permanent" one. Sometimes it seems willing to accept a "session" cookie only - which, of course, goes away as soon as you leave the site.

If you've done any recent updates, you may need to set permission to accept cookies from Mudcat.
In IE, you go into IE Tools, Internet Options, Privacy Tab, and click on the little "Edit" box at the bottom to tell it to accept cookies for this site.

Or, it may just be a rampant Cookie Monster at work.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 01:50 AM

John, that is exactly what happened to me. I did the damn update thing and it really fokkerd me over. I had a major DNS recognition error, but it seems to have finally resolved itsself. I hope.

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 03:30 AM

If you upgraded to Opera 7, your cookie wouldn't come with you, but it seems to be sticking, I just tried it. O7 doesn't like my scrolling mouse though, it has its own scrolling system.
Mickey$oft!!!! I love it. And have suffered from it.

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 07:43 AM

Ihaven't made anyl changes, and my IE options box doesn't have Privacy tab! So, I guess I PM Max?

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 01:44 PM

Animaterra -

If you truly don't have a privacy tab, you are apparently using a really obsolete version of IE. The "original" IE 5.0 that's with Win98 may not have had this tab(?) – I don't remember; but it should have been added if you've updated security patches within the past year or so, even if you've stayed with IE 5-series. (I don't have an older version to check, but my "perfect" recollection is that it was there on my last IE5 version. While my memory never fails, sometimes people change things that I "remember" when I'm not looking.) The IE4 that came with Win95 doesn't have a "Tools" tab, so I'll assume you're more current than that.

In Internet Explorer, click "Tools" at the top of the page.
On the "rolldown" click "Internet Options."
There should be 5 or 6 "tabs" at the top of the page, and "Privacy" should be one of them.
(I'm not arguing with your statement that it's not there – just want to be sure we're talking about the same thing.)

You can check on what version of IE you're using by clicking on "Help" at the top of the main Internet Explorer page, and selecting "About Internet Explorer" at the bottom of the rolldown. You should see "IE 5.x SR1" or "IE 6.x SR1," where the "x" can be anything. If you don't show the SR1, or have something other than version 5 or 6, you are definitely "obsolete."

Just below the version, you should also see a list of updates, that should include at least 5 or 6 "Q" numbers. If they're not there, then you are "obsolete." Exactly which Qxxxxx numbers should be there depends on your IE version.

I'd strongly suggest getting the current version, since there have been a number of meaningful improvements - especially in "security" areas. You can get nearly all of the "fixes" for IE5, but they're getting so numerous that maintenance is a little cumbersome, and all of the significant older ones have been rolled into the current IE6.

You can get information about the current (6.0 SP1) version at Mickey'$ Support Center – Internet Explorer. Look here if you want more information before making changes.

In the "Support Menu" box at the left of the page, there is a "rolldown" for "Find & Download Software" that includes Internet Explorer. A click there will take you to the IE6 SP1 Download Page. You can go directly there if you just want to get the free download.

I currently have IE6 SR1 (+ updates) on machines running Win98, Win2000, and WinXP, and have had no problems with it on any of them, or with the conversion of any of them from IE5-series. IE is a "deeply embedded" part of Windows, so there's no way to guarantee a perfectly trouble-free upgrade; but my experience has been positive.

(DO NOT mistake "MSN Explorer" updates for "Internet Explorer" updates. "MSN Explorer" is a completely separate and "virtually unrelated" product designed to make sure you get the "maximum benefit" (to whom?) from MSN advertising.)

Since you can log in with each visit, but the cookie isn't "saved," it's most likely that you're getting a "session cookie" rather than a "permanent cookie," which is controlled by your browser. You may be able to find how to change this in your IE Help file by looking up "cookies."(?)

John

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 06:29 AM

Yup- I've got 5.o! Thanks so much, John, I'll upgrade today!

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 11:24 AM

In my experience is someones eaten a cookie look no further than a teenage child! Regardless of which sort of cookie they are usually to blame.

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 03:40 PM

LOL! Mrs. Duck, you are absolutely right!! How did you know that I have a 17 year old son who spends most waking hours on line? I haven't confronted him yet but I'm sure he did something!
BTW when I got on the Cat just now, there was my cookie! Someone's been up to something, that's for sure!

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 08 Jun 03 - 04:00 PM

I don't know about that, Mrs. D...chocolate chip, yes, but neither of my kids ever cared much for peanut butter cookies.

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 12 Jun 03 - 06:14 AM

My teenagers vehemently denied eating any cookies... computer-based, at least. The empty cookie jar in the kitchen tells another tale...
Be that as it may, I'm glad to report that JohninKansas' suggestion seems to have helped. My 17 year old computer genius updated IE, waved his magic wand over the machine, fed it a few cookies, and I'm happy again. It seems to have solved a few other bugs as well (such as, why did Google sometimes decide to be unavailable?).
Thanks for all the suggestions!

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: GUEST,Mrs Cookieless Duck
Date: 22 Jun 03 - 05:47 PM

Sadly the cookie monster has hit here too now. We have tried all of the above but when I login it says I am there but as soon as I change to another page off goes the cookie. It is only happening with mudcat - have I really been that naughty that Max has stopped my membership? :0(

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 23 Jun 03 - 03:28 AM

About an hour later than Mrs.Duck's posting our cookies suddenly, for no obvious reason, started to stay there when re-set.
Haven't a clue why they wouldn't earler. Cookies wouldn't stay on either Opera or Intearnet Explorer. Much later I tried Netscape, and that logged us in properly. Then when we tried the other browsers, Mudcat was back to normal. Is there an intermittant problem at Mudcat end of things?
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: BS: Something keeps eating my cookies!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 23 Jun 03 - 06:30 AM

Same thing happened here back when I started this thread! Must be a gremlin in the works! Of course, I learned a lot as a result(including how to update I!).