An Open Invitation...................

[Fishkiller]

by signing up as "member" of the Scubaboard you will find that your hours of will be gone. The ability to talk back to the computer screen:damn: GONE. As you will soon find that it will be replaced with many a reason to add your opinion as you will have found by now that it might make a dive experience for the next person better followed by the urge to talk to people form this board and arrange the un thinkable a dive excursion with new friends. EVEN Worse you will find yourself singing those songs by Net DOC.

then as time passes you will start becoming even less selfish you will tell complete strangers with a sad expression on their face, "I can tell you are not a Scuba diver" they will be amazed by the ESP ability you will gain, as you are well aware Scuba divers are naturally happier people.

so dont register continue as you are dont change don;t expand your grey matter...:implode:

Just a comment


but then again kids...

you spend the first nine months in water why not return yourself??

 

[metridium]

Ditto. I must log in 10-20 times a day or more, it seems, since I don't accept cookies. Fifteen or twenty minutes go by, and I'm logged off.

What's up with the board clock running fifteen minutes or so ahead?

Originally posted by earl
My apologies if I didn't make it clear, but that was an explanation not a complaint... I primarily hang out on Ars or programming forums; most set cookies so I stay logged in 24/7. I wonder if scubaboard does not do this or if my computer is eating them?

I must say this is a nice place, though; better s/n and fewer jerks than rec.scuba.

-earl-

 

[Ted S]

For security and logistical reasons this board logs you out after 15 minutes of in-activity. This can be avoided by using a cookie to keep your login information stored. This option is safe and secure and is recommended for anyone who does not share their system with other people.

To change your cookie setting (turn it on or off) simply go to the "user cp" link at the top of any page and click on the "Edit options" page. The very first option of the entire page reads "Automatically login when you return to the site?" if this is set to yes you will be given a cokie, if set to no you will not get the password cookie.

If you do not use cookies (or do not use the permanent cookie) for whatever reason the board is forced to check your information through what is called a session string (that long s number in the url). The session s updated whenever you click any page in the board. If you fail to click anything for 15 minutes or leave the site and come back the session is killed to insure that you are who we think you are.

This is clearly annoying to those of you who have to login time after time but it's the only way to be certain that someone else doesn't just login to your machine at work, at home or wherever and post as you.

 

[Ted S]

To continue... a few people have contacted me regarding the security of cookies. I know the media often talks about cookies being used to track you and steal your private information and while that can, in theory happen, that's not the main use or the point.

Cookies are single lines of text stored in your computer's hard drive. They are tiny in size and limited to work with the site which sent them only. Cookies are only used by your browser, are not programs and lack anything close to enough power to harm your computer.

With that said, cookies are used to store data; our cookie stores your username and optionally your password (in a crypted form). This allows you to avoid logging in time and time again. With the exception of a few old and long since fixed bugs, this cookie is only viewable from this forum and by our script which is probably safer than typing your password time after time.

The only time cookies really become bad is when they are used to track you through different sites. Some ad companies and internet stores use cookies to see how many times you view their ad, when you first viewed the ad and even what you did or were when you viewed it. This certainly is alarming but is no different than what a major store does when a customer walks in the door. With that said, our cookie does not track you across any sites, it does not store your name or your personal information. Our cookie stores your login information and your session which are harmless bits of data.

There are certainly reasons not to use cookies (shared computers, company computers, etc..) but please don't get caught in the idea that cookies are evil in and of themselves. Cookies are like most anything in the world... the purpose is right, the use is almost always right but there will always be those people who abuse them.