From: Joel McNamara <joelm@eskimo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 1996 15:10:27 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: MSNBC and cookies
Message-ID: <199607190426.VAA10722@mail.eskimo.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


In attempting to check out different Net media coverage of TWA 800, it
appears the msnbc.com site won't let you in without a cookie.  Repeated
cookie cancels with Navigator 3.0 drop you into an indigestive loop of the
server continuing to try to force feed you cookies.  When you finally click
OK, you get in.

Am I spacing, or is this the first site anyone's stumbled on that requires a
cookie for access?  I've never been shut out of a site for canceling a
cookie.  The first cookie request does have a user ID field.  If the server
(or client) isn't misbehaving, this seems like a wee bit of a privacy issue.

I tried accessing the page (http://www.msnbc.com) on 7/18/96 around 9:15 PM
PDT.  Anyone care to confirm this.

Joel