# Ferry prices affected by cookies?



## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

I've just been to another forum - not a member, but just like to check the opposition occasionally. Well, someone was being technical. Consequently I did not understand it. I think they said a ferry company could check how often you visited their site because of cookies in your computer. They put the price up but if you took the cookies off then the price dropped. Don't think I'm explaining this very well, but that's the drift :? :? :? 

Although I have heard of cookies, how on earth do I remove them from my Mac System 10 so it still functions. And what do they do anyway - must be more than putting up the price of ferry tickets  

Sorry if this is in the wrong place - don't know if it is a computer question or a ferry ticket one! I'm sure a Mod will do the necessary if necessary. 

I await (simple) replies with interest. 

(Bit late really as I have both trips to France booked already)


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Nothing simpler

Go to Safari/Preferences/Security/Show Cookies You then can 'remove all' or select the ones you want to remove and hit 'remove'

Cookies are simple files that are deposited in/accepted by your computer that enable the supplier of the cookie to track your use of his site. They can be used for more nefarious uses which is why Safari (and most other browsers) give you some options for non-acceptance. I for instance have "Accept cookies only from sites I navigate to" ie not from advertisers on those sites.

Regards Frank


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

I presume you're using Safari on the Mac?

I've never cleared cookies on the Mac - fairly easy to do on Internet Explorer and Firefox.

A cookie is a small file stored on your computer which has information about a particular website - a ferry company will have their own cookie. Ostensibly, it's so they can identify you easier when you come to log in again, and to store personal settings for you. They can store other information, including where you've been and when. So, technically, it's possible for the ferry companies to do this. Whether they would or not is another matter.

If no one comes back to you, I'll pop and get my Mac and find the cookie clearing function :wink: 

Gerald


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

gerannpasa said:


> If no one comes back to you, I'll pop and get my Mac and find the cookie clearing function :wink:


Looks like Frank's beaten me to it :roll:

Thanks for saving me the onerous journey downstairs, Frank 

Gerald


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

Flight companies do this a lot as well. Booked flights to Oz a few weeks ago but after looking for prices on the desktop pc finally booked the tickets using the laptop. 

Prices of tickets went down by £200 EACH!!!

Tried to find the same flights on the desktop and couldn't!! Cleared cookies and hey presto cheaper flights!!

Sneaky buggers!!!!


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

I wonder if it is possible to "doctor" the cookie file to get even bigger discounts...... I'll sleep on it ... 

mike


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Cookies*

Hi

Thanks sue for pointing this out and thanks to all those with better PC comprehnesion than me for explaining it.

It explains something that my friend said to me about cashback websites etc. She always "clears all cookies and internet files" before using the cash back sites - so that the cash back site thinks it is a new customer. I thought she was off her rocker but the above explanations seem to add credibility to the theory!

Russell


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Ooooo ....... errrrr! Thanks everyone. Think I have understood. I've cleared my cookies and although it took a bit to get back back into the forum I'm here now and safe! Bit disconcerting to find all the passwords as well. 

At this rate I'll be a bit technical before too long 8) 

Thanks again everyone.


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi

Yes thats another use for cookies - by deleting them you are no longer loggesd onto sites you leave yourself logged onto all the time.

They also make access to sites slightly faster


stew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

artona said:


> Hi
> 
> Yes thats another use for cookies - by deleting them you are no longer loggesd onto sites you leave yourself logged onto all the time.
> 
> ...


Thats why I suggested only removing the ones you select. Having said that I was looking at a friends PC and did the same trick (he has one redeeming feature for a PC user he uses Opera rather than IE) It was very embarrassing it was full of sex site cookies.

Regards Franks


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## mauramac (May 24, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> Nothing simpler
> 
> Go to Safari/Preferences/Security/Show Cookies You then can 'remove all' or select the ones you want to remove and hit 'remove'
> 
> ...


Err,  Frank, there's nothing simpler than me  
Where do I find this if not a Mac user?
My browser is provided by BT Yahoo, but I also have IE as well 8O


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Maura, pretty straight forward really


1. In Control Panel , double-click Internet Options. 
2. On the General tab, click Delete Cookies under Temporary Internet Files, and then click OK. 
3. Click OK.


Regards M&D


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## mauramac (May 24, 2005)

MandyandDave said:


> Hi Maura, pretty straight forward really
> 
> 1. In Control Panel , double-click Internet Options.
> 2. On the General tab, click Delete Cookies under Temporary Internet Files, and then click OK.
> ...


Hi M&D
thanks for that, I did realise how to delete all cookies but wasn't sure how to select certain ones you want to delete.

Will go and see if thats possible.
Ta.
Maura


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

mauramac said:


> MandyandDave said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Maura, pretty straight forward really
> ...


Sorry I was not able to help when you asked me a few posts ago I know very little about internet connected PCs having only used Macs and Psions on line. But it should be possible in extremis to look at the cookie files using a basic test editor and jus delete the ones you don't want.

Regards Frank


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## mauramac (May 24, 2005)

Me again,
I found the file with all the temporary cookies and there are A LOT, even tho I know I deleted all of them a few weeks ago. I know they make accessing websites faster and have no prob with that but there are ones in file that I have no idea how they got there - nothing nasty - but William Hill for example. Could that have got there from a pop up or e-mail perhaps?

Can I delete the ones that look like little notepads?

And did you know that you get a cookie every time you use an Emoticon 8O 
Sorry to be so thick, I am sure all the techies out there are weeing themselves at my stupidity  Oh bother another one in the file!


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> I was looking at a friends PC and did the same trick It was very embarrassing it was full of sex site cookies.
> 
> Regards Franks


I had the same problem a while ago Frank. I was looking for a problem on a mates PC and looked in the cookies to see what should be deleted. He's a bit of a PC retard but his adolescent grandaughters use his PC continously. Some of the stuff I found made my eyes water, not just your run-of-the-mill sex sites - oh no. How embarrasing, I couldn't bring myself to tell him what I found on there, the best I could manage was to tell him to watch them a bit more closely in future.

So much for corrupting the young. :roll: :roll: :roll:


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

HI Frank and Ken


try looking at ring tone sites and see what rubbish they put on your machine. You do not have to look at sex sites to get cookies from them. This is the seedier side of technology. 

stew


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

mauramac said:


> clipped..... but there are ones in file that I have no idea how they got there - nothing nasty - but William Hill for example. Could that have got there from a pop up or e-mail perhaps?


The Safari and Opera browsers with which I'm familiar allow you reject cookies from pop ups and advertisers generally by only alowing cookies from sites that you actually navigate too.

regards frank


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

This thread on cookies got me thinking. Opera and Safari state that they follow the protocol that a cookie can not be read other than by the domain that placed the cookie there.

Does it mean that some other browsers allow cookies to be read by anybody that knows how?

This wouldn't matter if the information stored on the cookie is harmless but Lloyds, PayPal and AgentFiamma have stored my full name in clear in their cookie(s). Maplin my name and customer ID. Agent Fiamma my card billing address. AgentFiamma and PayPal my email address. An american site with which I have had some finacial dealings has stored my * password* for that site which is Sallytrafic

Perhaps Pusser or Bagshanty could comment

Regards Frank

PS I used to have a different password for each occasion which meant I had an encryted file on my PDA with over 400 passwords) my wife only used one. We have now compromised and I have cut down to about 20 and she is up to about 8 all the advice given is never use the same one for differing things. Using sallytrafic as a password occurred in a moment of weakness and was the longest word I could think of at the time.


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## mauramac (May 24, 2005)

Sorry to be a pain but can anyone answer my query about which cookies to delete and how to recognise them.

I have lots that look like little note pads........is it ok to delete these? and are there any you shouldn't delete. I don't want to click on delete all just to find out what it gets rid of unless I have to as I'm now intrigued how to select which ones I don't want stored.

Thanks guys,

Maura


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

mauramac said:


> Sorry to be a pain but can anyone answer my query about which cookies to delete and how to recognise them.
> 
> I have lots that look like little note pads........is it ok to delete these? and are there any you shouldn't delete. I don't want to click on delete all just to find out what it gets rid of unless I have to as I'm now intrigued how to select which ones I don't want stored.
> 
> ...


See when you want a IE expert they're all adrift. Send Pusser Spykal or Bagshanty a pm or get a mac simpler in the long run  can you do a screen shot to explain more fully your little notepads?

Regards Frank


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## mauramac (May 24, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> See when you want a IE expert they're all adrift. Send Pusser Spykal or Bagshanty a pm or get a mac simpler in the long run  can you do a screen shot to explain more fully your little notepads?
> 
> Regards Frank


Hi Frank
my own fault really as I appear to have turned an IT related query into a topic entitled Ferry Tickets, although it was about cookies I know!

Not being a very patient soul I deleted all cookies to see what happened and most of the little note pads disappeared  However there are still shed loads of stuff left, mostly gifs, jpegs, and other icons that mean nothing to me so will leave then alone for now. I will PM Mike (Spykal) or Dave Burleigh as they usually help me out when I get myself into a muddle.

Interesting isn't it how we start off on one thing and it develops.
Thanks for your help and yes I have been asking questions about buying a Mac, heard such good stuff about them.

Bye for now
Maura


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