I'm a newb, and I have both PC and Mac versions, one at work and one at home. I've noticed that on the PC, your cookie from your website logs me in automatically. Since the PC is at work, if I do not delete cookies after I've accessed this site, anyone can go to this site and have access to my account. Since this is a fairly nice place to work, I am not too worried, but what if someone wasn't in such a secure environment (i.e. library) and didn't realize that the computer saved your login info. There could be some real issues with this.
I appreciate any attention to this matter.

If you use "Log Out" to the left of this message under "Your Account", no one will be able to access your account or the message boards without your login and password.

I also take issue with the website coookies. There is no need to store a cookie on my PC, even if I can "destroy it by logging out. Simply make the cookie lifetime "0" to begin with ie. a session cookie. I have to change my privacy settings every time I want to do anything here, because, as a matter of course, the only cookies I allow are session cookies.

At least, give us the option.

COOKIES! TEH EV1L PLaNe TXT COOKIES! THEYRE OUT TO GET ME B/C COOKIES ARE TEH SPYWERES AND INTERNET EXPLORER GETS ALL SLOW WHEN I HAVE COOKIES! SAVE ME FROM TEH COOKIES OF DUME! DUUUUUME!

Cookies are the choice of the user, if you set your settings to prompt when a cookie is being created then you can choose the sites where you want to accept cookies.

I use permanent cookies at work, some users don't want to have to log in to the intranet site every day, so, in order to facilitate knowing the users and their details, I enforce a once a year log in, then store users id etc in the cookie, then when they access a webpage url on their desktop it works as logging on but in a restricted specific way.

Cookies aren't always bad, it's just the coders that abuse them.....

I don't know if rouguelazer is bashing the thread or the website. I don't really care. The fact is, cookies ARE used to collect information on browsing habits and target advertising. They are also a security risk if they store passwords or other sensitive information.

I'm not saying this website is doing any of those things, only that as a matter of course, I do not allow permanent cookies on my PC and that it is inconvenient to have to change my privacy settings when I want to post here.

The option to log in using a session cookie would be a nice addition.

Personally Ive used cookies ever since having a PC. And as a matter of point I have never experienced any cookie related problems. No spyware, no pop-ups, and no security issues. EVER! And I do everything on my computer from my online banking to playing VO lol. Cookies arent your problem. You just gotta know how to use them properly.

-Seta Solenk

You could just force all cookies to become session cookies if you so chose.

I just accept all cookies. They are benign and the "risk" is miniscule.