[thelist] blocking doubleclick :: idcide.com

Since seeing someone mention the idcide program on this list, I've gone to
their site (http://www.idcide.com) and given their beta program a whirl.

the program throws three icons into your IE browser window next to the logo
on the right.  It also has a little pop-up hat which is removed easily
enough.  Those three icons are a single eye, a multiple-eye collage type
thing, and a hat.  The single eye opens when the site you are visiting sends
you cookies that are only sent back to that page.  the multiple-eye icon
opens when you get sent a cookie which is directed at another site.

You have three options, one being Low Security (represented by the red wool
hat) which allows all cookies, Medium security (represented by the red hat
and sunglasses, also the default) which allows cookies that are returned
solely to the site in question, and High Privacy (with marx-type glasses,
nose and 'stache) which prevents all cookies from being returned.

You will notice when something is being attempted that you have blocked,
because the eye/eyes will open and a red X will appear on them.

It seems that this program's main focus is preventing the cookies from being
given back to the sites instead of just preventing them from being given to
you.  It has a privacy explorer (easily gotten to with a click on the hat)
which shows you what sites continually attempt to retrieve cookies from
other sites as you browse (and how many times), as well as showing you ALL
of your persistent cookies, labelling them as single site or multi-site,
allowing you to clear all cookies.  It being beta, I imagine when it's done
you will be able to remove individual cookies as well.

In practice, it seems to easily foil the "doubleclick" issue, E.G. dealing
with ads that track you from site to site (and now potentially link to info
like your real name).It does give me at least a few "x"ed out adverts, and
so far I have not run into the full-screen error messages mentioned.
*shrugs*

The first time I returned to hotmail from home, I had to log in again, but I
chose again to enable auto-login, and since then it's worked seamlessly with
no complaint from idcide.

I don't have anything to be critical of yet, except I have no idea if the
non-beta version will be freeware or shareware or what.

---
Scott Kennedy
Web Developer - Corporate IS
Compuware Corporation
AIM - atdtxav

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Steve Maxey [mailto:smaxey@bcr.com]

|It would be nice if MS put as much cookie control into IE 
|Windows as they did IE Mac 4.5--where there a preferences (equiv to
Internet 
|Options) panel for Cookies that gives you four base choices--Never ask,
Ask for each 
|site, Ask for each cookie, Always accept--and then gives a 
|window showing everyone who has ever tried to send you a cookie, with a 
|"Delete" button, a "View" button (for accepted cookies) and an Accept 
|Cookies/Decline Cookies toggle button by site and cookie name.

|Even better would be iCab-level capabilities, where I've set the 
|preferences to accept all cookies that expire at the end of 
|the session, accept all cookies that are returned only to the server of the
visited 
|site, and reject all others.

|I've been looking for Cookie Control shareware for Windows with 
|capabilities to match those of iCab, with no luck so far.