Cookies

INTRODUCTION

Cookies are an information mechanism that allows our server side connections (such as scripts) to both store and retrieve information with your browser side of the connection. The addition of a cookie significantly extends the capabilities of our two-way relationship.

OVERVIEW

When returning a web page to you, our server may also send a piece of state information that your browser will store. Included in that cookie is a description of the range of secure webs and pages you are able access. Any future page requests you make that fall in that range will include a transmittal of the current value of the cookie from you back to the RHOL server. The state object is called a cookie , for no compelling reason.

      The simple cookie mechanism provides a powerful new tool which enables a host of new types of applications to be written for web-based environments. Shopping applications can now store information about the currently selected items. Membership services, like RHOL, can send back registration information and free you from retyping a user-id on next connection. Our server can store your user preferences on your browser and have it supply those preferences back to our server every time you connect to us.

      RHOL has been an Internet pioneer providing comprehensive content and services since 1994. We began using Microsoft's NT security system in1995 because it was the best available. In an effort to improve site reliability, and provide new features for members and guests, we have recently changed to the cookie method of  member authentication. 

      One advantage of cookies will be significantly increased reliability because we will no longer need to use an older server program that sometimes locked up. 
      Another advantage is that we will now be able to secure individual pages in a particular web rather than having  to secure the entire web, providing substantially greater flexibility in what we can make available exclusively to our supporting members.
      As with most advantages, the new system comes with a requirement that did not exist for the old system. Our members must now have their browsers set to accept cookies.

Cookie Crumbles

    There is a lot of "bad press" about cookies and, unfortunately, a lot of misinformation has been disseminated.  This has resulted in some thinking that the only safe way to surf the Internet is by not accepting cookies at all.  However, this will mean that many, perhaps most, sites cannot be visited.  And, if you alternatively set your browser to require prompts before accepting cookies, you will spend a lot of time dealing with the prompt window for each page you want to enter.
Different sites make different uses of cookies.  We only use cookies to enable members to visit the members-only webs or pages on our site.  The only information that we collect is your username, password, session IP, browser type, and date./time of your visit. The cookie is only maintained during your current session. We do not share any of this information with anyone.
      In setting your browser to accept cookies, you have the choice of saving the cookies to your hard-drive, so that they will be active when you later return to the site, saving you the trouble of logging in, or accepting cookies on a "per session" basis, allowing you to visit all secure places while you remain on the site.
      You can, of course, set your browser to enable cookies (either saving to your hard-drive or on a per-session basis) only when visiting our site and use other criteria at other time.
      Finally, you can remove cookies from you computer at any time by going to WINDOWS/Temporary Internet Files and deleting whichever files you wish.

To set the the Cookie acceptance preferences, proceed as follows:

For Internet Explorer or America Online (AOL thru v.5.0) browsers,

    Click " Tools " Menu
    Select " Internet Options "
    Select " Security " Tab
    Click " Custom Level " Button

      On the menu tree find the " Cookies " topic where you will find two sub-topics:

    "Allow cookies that are stored on your computer"
            Disable, Enable, Prompt - any OK
    "Allow per-session cookies (not stored)"
            Disable, Enable, Prompt - either "Enable" or "Prompt" must be selected.

      If you select "Prompt" you must select "Yes" each time that a "Security Alert" window appears when you attempt to open a secure page.

For Internet Explorer v. 6.0:

    Select " Tools "
    Select " Internet Options "
    Select " Privacy" tab
Adjust the  slider in the "Settings" section to "Medium" to utilize RHOL cookies.  You can also leave the slider at a higher setting and still allow acceptance of RHOL cookies by clicking the "Edit" button near the bottom of the same Privacy window enter the Web site addresses of those sites for which you wish to allow cookies.

For AOL v. 6.0:

    Click " Settings "
    Select " Preferences "
    Select " Internet Options "
    Proceed as for AOL v. 5 above

For AOL v. 8.0:

    Click " Settings "
    Select " Preferences "
    Select " Internet Properties (WWW) "
    Select the " Privacy" tab
Adjust the  slider in the "Settings" section to "Medium" to utilize all cookies or Click the "Advanced" button and/or the "Edit" button in the "Web Sites" section for custom your treatment of cookies.