Subject: cookies - Microsoft's story...
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 98 10:18:00 PST

A cookie? What's this you're offering?

A cookie is a very tiny piece of text we're asking permission to place on   
your computer's hard drive. If you agree, then your browser adds the text   
in a small file. Its purpose is to let us know when you visit   
microsoft.com.

This text, by itself, only tells us that a previous microsoft.com visitor   
has returned. It doesn't tell us who you are, or your email address or   
anything else personal. If you want to give us that information later,   
that's your choice.

So why do we offer cookies?

Cookies help us evaluate visitors' use of our site, such as what   
customers want to see and what they never read. That information allows   
us to better focus our online product, to concentrate on information   
people are reading and products they are using.

And guess what? A cookie can help you.

If you accept a cookie, nothing affects you immediately. But you know   
what happens whenever you want to download software, access a premium   
site or even request permission to use a Microsoft logo on your Web page?   
You get asked questions like who you are and your email address. And that   
happens every time you want to download stuff.

If you have accepted a cookie, however, those questions eventually will   
be asked just once, no matter how often you download software or how many   
Microsoft sites you visit.

In the future, a cookie will allow you to tell us what information you   
prefer to read and what you don't. If you're a gamer, for example, we can   
advise you on content specific to games.

Why are we telling you all this? Because we want you to know why we ask   
you to accept a cookie. We want to be sure you understand that accepting   
a cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any personal   
information about you.

Cookies are harmless, occupying just a few bytes on your hard drive. They   
also can be a Web site browser's very good friend.
   

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  john@wagoneers.com   http://www.wagoneers.com/john/
      Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold...
   http://www.digest.net/jeep/fsj/archive/v1/maillist.html
   http://www.digest.net/jeep/xj/archive/v1/maillist.html
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