Travel Technology - Using Multiple Browsers

I have IE8 and FF on most of my computers... and mostly use FF. When I go to check my "cookies", there are usually hundreds of them and most I have no idea where and what they mean... and I usually delete any cookie that has "ad" in the name, figuring it is some type of tracking cookie.

How feasible is it to add another browser, say Safari, and set it up to never accept cookies? So in other words, keep FF as your "trusted" browser with all your regular "membership" site that require passwords etc. and use the other browser for exploring the web without getting stuck with a bunch of tracking cookies?

Will some (or many) sites even load if you prohibit cookies?

Will some (or many) sites even load if you prohibit cookies?

They may load, but they might not function correctly.

I setup FF to always ASK which cookes to add, and the ones I want added permanatly, like cnn.com or bank, or whatever which you KNOW is a valid cookie, then click on ADD and it will be permanantly added.

For all the others, I click on ADD for session only, and they are gone when the browser is shut down.

It takes a few days of a bit of a hassle to get your core BASE on valid cookies added, and then thereafter it is only when something rogue, short term or random comes in - where you can click ADD FOR SESSION.

On the whole, cookies are harmless. It doesn't hurt to clean them out regularly to speed things up a bit, but they're just little text files with tracking info in them. I wouldn't worry about them.

When they first appeared I used to set my browser (was it Netscape?) to ask me about each one every time, but that rapidly got out of hand.

I agree with nmemaker - I use the prompting. It can get tiring when you go to new sites that pop up 50 cookie prompts the first time it loads, but after your preference is remembered hopefully you shouldn't have to do it again. My big annoyance with Firefox is that the prompt shows up so many times from the same domain before you even have a chance to click the box that says "use this setting for all cookies from this site"

Another option, if you don't mind your computer not remembering your login settings, is to have firefox purge your personal data automatically each time you close the browser.

On the whole, cookies are harmless. It doesn't hurt to clean them out regularly to speed things up a bit, but they're just little text files with tracking info in them. I wouldn't worry about them.

When they first appeared I used to set my browser (was it Netscape?) to ask me about each one every time, but that rapidly got out of hand.

+1

I like when the sites I'm on offer me information that is pertinent to my interests and browsing habits.

I have IE8 and FF on most of my computers... and mostly use FF. When I go to check my "cookies", there are usually hundreds of them and most I have no idea where and what they mean... and I usually delete any cookie that has "ad" in the name, figuring it is some type of tracking cookie.

How feasible is it to add another browser, say Safari, and set it up to never accept cookies? So in other words, keep FF as your "trusted" browser with all your regular "membership" site that require passwords etc. and use the other browser for exploring the web without getting stuck with a bunch of tracking cookies?

Will some (or many) sites even load if you prohibit cookies?

Work around?

Hosts file (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm)

Manage cookies?

WinPatrol (http://www.winpatrol.com)

To answer the OPs question. I believe that it would be easy to install another browser that just blocks cookies. I don't believe that browsers share their cookies or their internet history. Most don't even share favorites.