After coming here regularly for the last 4 months or so, all of a sudden I am required to have cookies turned on inorder to post.
Does any one know the reason computing.net has gone to this policy? I mean they do log IP addresses, so if someone was being abusive they could just block that IP or report them to their ISP. I am only curious as I do not mind using cookies for here, even though I usually have cookies disabled while on the net. I can just delete them and turn cookies back off when I leave. Just wondering why the change..I do love this site still...P.S. I may have alsheimers, I had to change my email address, I forgot my password and could not remember the answer to my secret question..so I now have my password tattooed on my forhead...LOL

i think the cookie part is so you don't have to login, everytime.
(i hope you have it tattoed sdrawkcab , so when you look in a mirror, you can see it)

Yes, computing.net does log your IP address. Whenever you post, do you see that message at the top of the page asking you coming from IP address 111.222.333 to confirm the post? And I do think they use it to ban posts from someone who has abused the privilege.

I think pretty much all forums log your ip address these days as a security measure.

I don't know about the cookie part being required to post. If you register, then you need the cookie so it remembers you. Then no one else can post under your user name and your user name apprears in bold on your posts.

This is what mine says, (I deleted the IP address part):

Please confirm that you, coming from 173.xxx.xxx(offensive posts can and will be reported to your ISP), want the below message posted on Computing.Net.

Registration is required now, the cookie keeps you from having to enter the info each time.

thanx all for your prompt answers..just as i thought..oh well i guess i will have to just sign in everytime i come here, cus i delete my cookies all the time..yes i know a little paranoid i am..and no www i forgot to get my password tattooed backwords..crap, i will have to ask someone to read it to me when i need it...LOL

I think you can set your browser to overide your cookie settings for designated URLs and zones. That might allow you to keep the cookies you want and block the rest.

Also I have heard of cookie management programs I think one is called "cookie jar".
I have only read about them on other forums but never looked them up or used them.

Spywareinfo.com has info about cookie managment and a link to one program:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/cookies/

After logging into COMPUTING.NET, you don't have to type/retype your name in, to POST or REPLY, as the recent changes made, now will insert your name automatically.
That's one advantage of a cookie, one of the
very FEW.

Under IE\Tools\Internet Options - Privacy Tab - you can Customize the Cookie Setting

I have mine to Accept first Party and Per Session Cookies but to Block Third Party ones

But if you're ultra-paranoid then that won't help!

Lesley

I hope they add in a E-mail me my password option in this.

LMAO I cant even remember what I set it as.

Heck I cant remember what i had for dinner last night, yet I can remember how to install 5 O/S's on 1 hard drive and remove viruses like a mad man. Whats up with that?

(Well I am off to shrimp the bosses chair... BBL)

Anyone know the name of the cookie that is created?

Guess I will have to hack it to get my password... LOL

John,

When I couldn't remember my password, I sent an email to Justin and he emailed it to me. Give it a try:)

Go to your cookie folder and find this: computingnet_name

That's the computing.net cookie and also notice that your password is there in plain text.

Not good.

Hmmmmmm...... I just went through all my cookies; I do have one from computing.net but it does not have my password. ??

I have seen the open, plain text password exposed on a couple of other machines, in the computingnet cookie file.

I have no cookie of the like either.

Maybe it has to do with being on AOL, as right after Justin made it mandatory for ANY poster from there (AOL) to register.