Cookies are often referred to as client-side mechanisms because they are stored on a visitor's machine rather than at a website. Cookies are still new enough that not all browsers support them. Currently, Versions 2.0 and later of Netscape Navigator , and versions 3.0 and later of Microsoft Internet Explorer are the largest browsers who utilize cookies. When you reconnect to that site, the site will search your cookie file to see if you ve been there before. Sites can also record other information, such as where you were before you visited their site and how long you remained at their site.
Many sites utilize passwords to identify visitors.
For example, I subscribe to the New York Times on-line. Until the advent of cookies, I had to type in my user id and password each time I visited the New York Times page. The convenience that cookies offer is a main reason why they are used . Tracking return visitors has also become especially important for companies advertising on the web, because cookies can give an advertiser an idea of how many times a user has seen a particular ad. This use of cookies has become a bit of a controversy.