Non-Yummy Cookies, What Are They?

Cookies that are fresh out of the oven that make you smile with delight or those annoying pop-ups that appear on every website you visit. I definitely know which cookie I'd prefer. Now, considering we're all things cookie related, we thought we'd give you a little insight to what the computer cookies actually are. We may press accept over 10 times a day but what are we accepting exactly?

(Image credit: Pinterest) 

What are cookies? 

Just a little heads up, this isn't a delicious recipe about Gookie Dough, we're on about the boring website stuff, okay? We're preserving your bikini body just this once! Cookies are small text files which have ID tags and are stored on the computer's browser directory. They are created when you use your browser and the cookies track what you do within the site and help you continue where you left off. Just imagine little smiling cookies trying to give you a helping hand behind the scenes. This is why information which you have voluntarily given remains, such as your email address.  

The two types

Yes, there is more than one lil' cookie. Session cookies and persistent cookies. The session ones are created on a temporary basis in the browser's subfolder while you are visiting the website. As soon as you leave that website, this cookie is deleted. However, persistent cookie files remain in the subfolder and are reactivated when you visit the website again. Some people get worried that cookies are a bad thing. This is untrue. They're just mechanisms to how the Web works. 

The purpose

Cookies help websites arrange content to suit your needs. However, not to panic because cookies aren't used to identify you. They're perfectly safe and are really there to help the website. When you visit certain websites, temporary internet files and cookies are stored on your computer. Obviously, you generally visit a lot of websites so occasionally it may be good to clean your disk space by clearing your cookies and history. 

Relating to Gookie Dough 

In our case, to make our website and mobile site work better for you, we use cookies and tagging which personalise content. This means that it sends you interest-based content and relevant advertisements on our site. (Hence the site you've just been on popping up as an ad at the side). You don't have to accept cookies on any site, however, if you reject them it can disable certain functions which means you aren't getting the most out of the site. 

So, do you feel 10/10 technology geek now? You've definitely earned yourself a tub of Gookie Dough, that's for sure.