I suspect it is only the bottom three which were not bigger?

Our first computer managed to operate with only 32 kB of RAM and no hard disk. The stored memory was on 100kB floppy discs (and that may have been 50kB on each side).

they are not cookies but preloaded web images etc in your cache – many pages have a header that loads many images so that they are available for next time – there are extensions for firefox that allow you to block certain sites – personally I’d block the majority of that list as the companies usually drop many trackers and provide you with no benefit – always block 3rd party cookies as these are trackers.

Edited By Frances IoM on 27/01/2021 10:56:03

I've set mine (Can't remember exactly how ) to delete all cookies at each shut down.

The hope is that by so doing, we shall not be plagued by unwanted pop ups, or telephone calls.

Anyone noticed a lot more scam calls purporting to be from Amazon, just lately?

They usually give them selves away by having too many zeroes on the area code. Prerecorded or it would be nice to chat to someone, if only to waste their time and bill!

Howard

Edited By Howard Lewis on 27/01/2021 11:36:17

As Frances IoM said earlier, those files are too large for cookies. In Firefox all cookies are stored in one file within the users profile. The file name is 'cookies.sqllite' (an sql database file) at present on my system this file is only 2.1MB. I expect other browsers use a similar regime for cookie storage.

John

The initial screenshot shows "Website Data", not cookies. I am not up to speed on the details but there are now other mechanisms for storing information on your computer than cookies. In theory, of course, all to your benefit if you are not having to download the same thing over and over, but who knows?

I've stopped using Arc Euro's website as it doesn't give the option of refusing cookies. I think that I'm supposed to opt in, which I never do

Duncan, just used "Behind the Overlay" on Arc Euro's site and that cookie overlay disappeared leaving normal access.

(Typo corrected)

Edited By Fowlers Fury on 27/01/2021 16:31:40

As others have noted, what Michael is seeing is cached data and not cookies. Cached data is used to minimise network traffic and also to reduce page load times.

For example, when viewing this site, I regularly see the same adverts and images over and over, so rather than my browser downloading them each and every time, they are downloaded only once, only to be downloaded again after a preset expiry time or when they change.

As far as I am aware most browsers allow the user to control the maximum cache size, but this is often an advanced setting and should be left well alone.

Cookies, on the other hand, are small. They are restricted to a maximum of a few kilobytes each, and a browser will only store a limited number of cookies for each site.

Cookies are not the malignant force that so many seem to think they are, but can instead be very useful. For example, I like it if I visit a shopping site, don't complete my order and come back a few days later to find my shopping cart still contains the items I have added. Or when I visit a forum such as this which has saved my login information to save me typing it in again.

Of course, cookies, like most things, can be used for nefarious purposes, but do I really care if a site shows me ads related to my interests or not, I tend to ignore most ads anyway. It should be noted that only the site that placed the cookie can read it. Cookies can not be used for transferring data from one site to the next.

I routinely accept all cookies, and rarely delete them unless I am working on a computer that is not my own, The time, hassle and inconvenience really isn't worth it.

Clive

What happens with the cookies if, instead of clicking on either accept or customize, you just close the window by clicking on the x at top right?

Dunno …. I've always assumed the site owners take the attitude "we gave you the chance to opt out but you didn't take it … so we'll assume you're opting in".

Ref earlier posting " On top of this, it is worth knowing that almost every user on the internet is uniquely identified by your IP, browser, operating system, and other information that is sent by default to every website on the internet. If 'they' want to know who you are, it's not a problem for them. "

Does the "almost" above mean all those who don't use a VPN? Seems unlikely as in 2020 (quote) "If you use a VPN, you're among around 31% of internet users".
**LINK**

Using a good VPN provides a whole manner of safeguards and benefits since you're not identifiable to the websites visited.