What's a cookie?

A cookie is a small file that is sent to your computer by a site's server. A cookie can be a record of your visit to a site, including information such as your user name, time of last visit, pages viewed, etc. A cookie created by one site's servers can be retrieved only by that site's servers. Thus, information in our cookies on your computer is not accessible to other sites.

Why do you use cookies?

We use cookies to allow you to move quickly through our site. We accomplish this in many ways, using several different cookies. When you first enter our website, for example, we use a test cookie to confirm your browser's ability to retain cookies. A cookie is then temporarily "set" within your browser to allow you to proceed without having to confirm your identity with each subsequent page you request to view. In addition, without cookie technology, we wouldn't be able to offer you convenient features such as the ability to store your user name and password

So, what's in it for me?

We won't have to ask you to identify yourself with each new page requested. We can also deliver to you customized information and store your settings more efficiently.

Will the cookies you send me go away?

Some of our cookies are long term. If they weren't, we'd need to ask you for certain information with each new session, such as your user name. Some cookies do expire after a short period of time. Remember, cookies are small files (just a few hundred bytes) and won't pose any significant disk-space concerns. You are, of course, free to clear any and all cookies from your hard drive any time you wish. Just search your system for any files named cookies.txt (or similar) and delete them at your discretion.

Remember, however, that deleting these cookies means any long-term settings (such as your stored user name) will need to be reset.

Should I set my browser to not accept cookies or to alert me each time I receive one?

You certainly could set your browser to alert you each time a cookie is passed to your machine. However, we'd recommend that you turn that feature off, perhaps after using the site for a day or so with it on, once you've seen firsthand how we use this technology. Our use of cookies ultimately helps you have a better experience here. You might find it cumbersome to be alerted to each cookie you'll encounter. Many of our cookies last only for 12 hours, so you'll see them every day if the cookie-alert feature is activated. If you set your browser to not accept any cookies, you won't be able to use our website.

Comments and Questions

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about our Privacy Policy, you may contact us at webmaster@suddath.com.

This policy was last updated on January 2, 2001.