WARNING - anonymity

[awacs]

Anonymity on PPRUNE should not be taken for granted the system seems to know who I am before I have logged onto the forums even when using a different ISP.

Be careful out there.

[ 31 July 2001: Message edited by: awacs ]

[The Guvnor]

Ah, but awacs did you log in from the same computer? If so, it's no surprise as UBB drops a cookie into it.

Of course, just coz you're paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't really after you!

[awacs]

Ah! but yes I did. But that's not the point.

[BoarderDude]

What is the point , then ??

[RAFAT]

Then there's all those lights, I know they're out there, just waiting for me to go to sleep, they know you know!!

[mutt]

AWACS,

Remove all your internet cookies, disable them and try the exercise again. PPrune wont have a clue who you are.

But you will lose little functions such as "new messages since last logon" and "preferences".

Crashdive or Pprune Dispatcher wrote a very interesting message about anonymity about a month ago, I forget the topic title but you should be able to search for it in this forum.

Mutt

[criticalmass]

"The trouble with anonymity is no-one knows who you are!"

[Notso Fantastic]

and how do you really know your fridge light goes out when you close the door? Get up in the middle of the night and open it quickly- I bet you find it's still on!

[Gash Handlin]

Bloody hell, they know what you're reading now as you read this!!!!!!!!!!

Have a look at the Invisible Members thread

[DX Wombat]

Big Brother is watching you!

[okeydokey]

What do cookies do?
And how do I delete them?

[mutt]

Okeydokey,

Cookies are small files that are stored on your computer's disk by web servers and ad-servers. (An ad-server is a special purpose web server that sends advertisements to your web browser) Each cookie contains an identification number that is unique to your computer, so the server can 'remember' you. Web servers and ad-servers are able to read cookies they previously stored on your computer, including the unique identification numbers they assigned to you. This allows them to 'remember' you, when you visit their site again.

Have a look in Cwindows\cookies

You could delete them, but you will get problems trying to log-in to secure websites such as banks. You will also lose functions on Pprune such as { New Posts Since Your Last Visit }, having to retype your name and password every time you post a message etc etc.

If you really want to stop receiving them you can go to Internet explorer/tools/internet options/security/internet/custom level where you will find options to disable/enable/prompt before your PC accepts anymore.

Alternatively you could buy cookie blocking software.

Is it worth the hassle?

Mutt.

[lame]

Also, are you logging OUT each time before you leave PPRuNe?

If not, then it will remember you also.