| Cookie: |
A small file stored on your computer
containing information that is created
by either your own computer or a
server that you connect to using
the internet. |
| Javascript: |
A very common scripting language
used on web pages to add functionality
such as roll-over effects, form processing,
layout control and information manipulation.
Javascript is used by most browsers
in the last few years (including
Explorer, Netscape, Opera and many
others) and is an Internet-wide standard,
like HTML. |
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Many people ask about cookies and why they
are necessary, especially after some of the
somewhat alarming stories making their way
around the Internet being linked to spam email
and invasion of privacy. With all the computer
viruses out there, people sometimes get a little
paranoid about what is and isn't safe.
We'd like to set the record straight and explain
how we use cookies on our site. It should be
mentioned that at least 98% of legitimate commercial
web sites use cookies on their sites, including
AltaVista, Yahoo, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple,
Radioshack, Lycos, Adobe, Macromedia, Google
and Sympatico. As you can see, we're in great
company.
The simple fact is that cookies are used all
over the place and have very proper and secure
uses. They store your login information so
that you don't have to reenter the same information
over and over again. They keep track of your
shopping cart in order to facilitate an easy
e-commerce experience. They recognize you as
a registered user of a web site so that you
can benefit from member-only deals and services.
In short, they are wonderful and almost perfectly
safe.
So why are people worried about their use,
or rather misuse?
Unfortunately, there are less than scrupulous
companies who do misuse cookies. Some companies
(not us, however) will allow cookies to be
placed from external sources for the sake of
tracking your advertising profile. Many web
marketing companies will place cookies on your
computer to keep track of some of the sites
you may visit and some of the purchases you
may make. While some feel that this is an intrusion
of privacy, others claim that such use allows
for advertisers to tailor their displays to
each user's particular taste.
Whichever side of the debate you follow, it
is easy enough to control what information
goes out of your computer. Only the server
that created a cookie on your system can read
it, so the possibilities of abuse are already
limited. You can further reduce this by being
careful about what information you provide
on the net and to whom you provide it.
There does exist one way that your email address
and other personal information might unsuspectingly
fall into others' hands and that is easily
prevented. Your browser can contain in its
preferences (or settings or options) some of
your information. This occurs sometimes when
downloading items via FTP and usually your
email address would be used as a password.
This is a means for people offering free connection
to keep track of their visitors. However, you
can determine what information is available
to the outside world by changing your browsers
settings.
Ultimately, the only information that leaves
your computer is what you yourself give. This
means that if a web site asks for your email
address, phone number, credit card number etc.,
they will only have what you provide. Therefore
you have a decision to make each time you're
presented with a demand for information. Is
this company trustworthy? Do they need this
information and finally, how will they use
it? Luckily, most sites, including ours, will
offer a policy on their use of cookies and
the confidentiality of the information they
gather. Here's ours.
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We do not sell or otherwise share the information collected in our database.
As our site contains special information and services to a select group,
we must be able to protect this information and restrict access to only
those individuals who have signed up with us. Cookies are necessary for
our site to provide appropriate security and functionality to our members.
We may also use the email addresses in our database in order to alert
members of special offers and updates, if the member has allowed us to
do so. Members always have the option of being included or excluded from
our occasional mailings.
More info about
our policy is available at our Privacy
Policy page. |
As more and more of our society becomes integrated
with the Internet, it's useful and convenient
to interact with companies on a more personal
level. Only you, however, can control what
information leaves your computer and where
it will go. Thus it's important to know what
you're doing and who you're dealing with. No
one is suggesting that you wander the Internet
unprotected, but there is no reason to miss
out on the many possible services and benefits
of this technological age.
We wish you happy and safe browsing!
If you do not have Cookies or Javascript enabled
in your browser, our site will not function properly,
if at all. The functionality of this site depends
on your browser supporting these features.
In order to continue your visit to our site with full security and shopping
functionality, you should enable Cookies and Javascript in your
browser. To do this, please use the following information, depending on which
browser you use, Netscape or Internet Explorer. Other browsers may be added
soon but if you're not sure about how to enable these in your browser, please
feel free to contact us.
Netscape/Mozilla
1) For Mac/Windows Netscape 4.x (cookies and
javascript):
open menu Edit > Preferences > Advanced
• Enable/Accept both
2a) For Mac/Windows Netscape 6 (javascript):
open menu Edit > Preferences > Advanced
• Enable/Accept
2b) For Mac/Windows Netscape 6/7 & Mozilla
(cookies):
open menu Edit > Preferences > Privacy & Security
• Enable/Accept
Internet Explorer
1) For Windows Explorer 4 (cookies and javascript):
open menu Tools > Internet Options > Advanced
• Enable/Accept both
2) For Windows Explorer 5/5.5 (cookies and javascript):
open menu Tools > Internet Options > Security
click on the Custom Level button.
• Enable/Accept stored cookies
• Enable not-stored session cookies
• Enable Active scripting
3) For Windows Explorer 6 (cookies and javascript):
open menu Tools > Internet Options > Privacy
click on the Advanced.. button.
• Click the checkbox "Override automatic cookie handling"
• Select Accept (or prompt) for First-party Cookies
• Select Accept (or prompt) for Third-party Cookies
• Enable/Accept Always allow session cookies
• Enable Active scripting
*SPECIAL ACCESS FOR WINDOWS EXPLORER USERS
You can allow only our site's cookies onto
your computer while preventing other sites
from doing so by following these instructions:
a) When you first get the error message
about cookies being OFF, there is a privacy
report icon on the status bar - double click
on it
b) Our web address should appear in a dialog
box
c) Right click on the address and select "Always
accept cookies from this site".
d) Click back on Home and login again
and you are set.
e) That's it! You can also go to the bottom
area of the Privacy Tab section of Internet
Tools where you can manage individual
websites with an Edit button - Blankmedia.ca will
be in there and would be set to Always Allow.
4a) For Mac Explorer 5/5.5 (cookies):
open menu Preferences > Receiving Files > Cookies
• Enable/Accept
4b) For Mac Explorer 5/5.5 (javascript):
open menu Preferences > Web browser > Web content > Active Content
• Enable Scripting
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