NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> A Proposal for Browser Data
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> A Proposal for Browser Data
Mark J. Welch, Esq. (markwelch_at_ca-probate.com)
Mon, 13 Jan 1997 11:14:18 -0800
I originally wrote (in part):
>>Why doesn't someone create a protocol so that the web browser
>>(or a plug-in or other method) can store commonly-requested
>>data locally, and I can enter all (or part) of that information
>>at my leisure while offline?
Kenneth Jenks replied:
>I've done exactly that, but I made it mostly server-based so that it works
>with all browsers that support cookies, and it doesn't eat up space on the
>user's computer. I can (and do) store user profiles on my server, tale.com.
>I could (but do NOT) allow any other server to access these profiles, even
>without the knowledge or permission of the user.
>My server sets a cookie on the user's computer. The cookie spec doesn't
>allow your server to read my cookie, but it does allow my server to tell
>your server what my cookie is. * * * A
>reasonable respect for privacy kills this whole concept.
>But just because it doesn't work for my business doesn't mean it won't work
>for yours.
The point is not to design something that works for my business
-- it's to design something that works for consumers. Something
to simplify the consumer's life without invading privacy. As you
note, cookies are designed to PREVENT sharing of data between
servers, not to permit it.
My proposal demands that data remain secure until I consent
to release it. Your system could work for this IF you agreed not
to disclose info unless I consented -- but this assumes that the
public trusts you. If the data is held at the browser, the browser
only has to trust the security provided by Netscape/Microsoft/etc.
(Let's NOT debate who's more trustworthy, or which system
is inherently more or less secure, please. What matters is the
perceptions of consumers, period.)
You mentioned not using storage space at the user end -- but note
that it would be a fixed amount of space for a relatively small amount
of data. I'm not proposing that my browser store all my Firefly
preferences and such -- just the most common data that every
damn server makes me fill in to register. All I want is a protocol
with some basic defined fields (firstname, lastname, mail_address,
city,state,zipcode,country,telephone,email_address,web_site, etc.)
and PERHAPS the ability to extend with more optional fields.
For something like this to succeed, I think it MUST be built into
the browser -- a plug-in would have to be supported by a LOT of
major web sites before anyone would download it (and the plug-in
would have to come from a very trustworthy company).
-- Mark J. Welch, Attorney at Law, Pleasanton CA
-- http://www.ca-probate.com 510-462-8483
-- Email is not legal advice, and is not confidential.
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