Cookie Monster 1.5.1
Review

Cookie Monster 1.5.1

Freeware

Now, I’m not really the paranoid type, but I do like my privacy. I think most people do. With the advent of the Internet, the popularity of Web browsers, and the chance to see/do pretty much anything you like on the ‘net, you just KNOW there are those out there wanting to know what you are doing, what you are seeing, and where you have been while out surfing. Personally, I think those wanting to track my whereabouts would be pretty bored. But, the simple fact that they CAN check out where I have been, know who I am, and learn my preferences is a little disconcerting.

Rather than give a long lesson on what Cookie Monster 1.5.1 does, I will pull from the “read me ” file the following:

>>>Did you know that Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer create a file in their Preferences folder that helps web servers keep track of you ?
This “MagicCookie” file is very useful in some cases, like storing some viewing configurations (i.e. with or without frames, etc…), but it can also help the server know WHO you are and what you do. Say you go to lycos and look up some keywords, well, lycos can store in the cookie file a number that helps it know that you’re user ID 238923849dfjf983298ds8s9df (for example) and store what you looked for in its database (on the web server, this time). Well, let’s not be paranoid, but, say Glittering Computers Inc wants to spam some ads, it could ask lycos to setup a specific gif image on lycos’ page only to users that looked up computer related links. (that’s a simple example).

Now, let’s be paranoid. You went to InfoSeek this time, and searched for naked women (or men), and suppose the FBI wanted to keep track of what type of users do that, and what they do, well, magic cookies could REALLY help !!<<<

Scary, eh? While I myself am not our searching for nude women on the Internet (‘though I have stumbled on a few sites before), I don’t like the fact that anyone can “read” my Cookie file and find out that information. All Cookie Monster does is simple: every time you launch it, it trashes your cookie file. Simple. Effective. I like that. This is one program worth having. Check out the Web page for Cookie Monster at: http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1778/monster.html