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DM cookies

Rodrica	Date: June 19, 2006 @ 8:44 AM Not a complaint...just a question. What's with all the extra DM cookies? Everytime I go to someone's net or com page I have to accept yet another cookie That was one of the things I loved about DM...the lack of unnecessary cookies. I like to decide which cookies to accept each time...so this is holding me up getting around the site, making things a lot slower. Is this for any positive reason like tracking/page statistic purposes or what?
Engine11RDenny	Date: June 20, 2006 @ 7:53 PM To maintain login status you have to keep the DMusic I'm fine with that but what are the others? They come from the ads right? And in tracking me do they use up my bandwidth? What is my -ing behavior going to gain anyone besides 2cents a click? If my report will help cure a disease then so beit. If not stop spying. If it's all about the cookie and you want me to have them sooooooo much then send them to my house [chocolate chip please] I take it you already have my address
imemine	Date: June 20, 2006 @ 8:02 PM Mmmmm---I love cookies!
Cryxan	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 5:07 AM When did this start? I tried a couple different browsers and I'm not seeing any change in cookie behavior.
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 11:47 AM Not sure...about a week. I definitely never used to be sent a cookie for every person's individual net and com page before - and I certainly never got logged out for rejecting cookies other than the log in ones (which I accept are essential). It wasn't originally a complaint...but it sure is now... Today I accidently accepted a cookie on here for someone other than dmusic and it redirected me to their site! Now THAT illustrates why I NEVER accept cookies other than essential log in and security cookies. I'm not happy now I only used to have to clear 6 log in cookies from my computer. Now when I've been to DM it's more like 50+
furiousBall	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 11:52 AM I haven't seen it either - Jack, if you're out there - any idea about this?
jack	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 12:21 PM I'm not sure: as far as I know, we haven't made any changes to the log in system recently. Definitely not since last week. DM will set three cookies for the login system: i - the ID of your account u - your username p - a hash of your password Any other coookies (namely the ones that begin with _ut are set to expire that same day and are simply used to help the 'users online' and buddy-list feature to work. Of course, I didn't write either system so this is just speculation, but just to test, I logged out, cleared my cookies, and logged back in - I only accepted the u,i and p cookies from both dmusic.com and dmusic.net (We need to set them from both domains) and rejected all other cookies, and I didn't experience the log-outs you talked about.
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 12:41 PM Dont get it. Something's changed. Until last week things were fine - I always accept all the log in cookies...and have never been presented with any other DMusic cookies until now. For example today I went to burnthand's page - I had to agree to accept all cookies from burnthand.dmusic.com and dmusic.dmusic.net. On my browser I now have a list of cookies for burnthand.dmusic.com utmb, utmz, utma, utmc and burnthand.dmusic.net utma. And this happens for EVERYONE'S page I go to. The number of cookies I have to accept soon adds up as I go around the site. And if I forget and reject them I get logged out and have to clear my cookie preferences and start again
jack	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 12:56 PM so you if you reject the utma, utmb, utmc and utmz cookies you get logged out? That's weird -- what browser are you using?
Distilled1	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 2:57 PM That sounds more like a change in your security setings, Did you do any upgrading of anything in the last week? Download Anything? "Today I accidently accepted a cookie on here for someone other than dmusic and it redirected me to their site! Now THAT illustrates why I NEVER accept cookies other than essential log in and security cookies" I only have had that happen after a BHO geting stuck in my registry. Sure theres no ad/spy-ware onboard? The re-direct sure sounds like CW or Aurora better internet stuff. I accept all but third party and don't get re-directs.
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 4:40 PM Jack...It's Mozilla and I'm using a mac. Distilled...I've made no changes and the only stuff I ever download /upload directly from/to this computer is music from DM. BTW...I don't usually get redirected when I accept a cookie - it's only ever happened once before and hasn't happened again today - although I've been on the web quite a bit. I'm 100% sure there's no ad/spy-ware. The redirect was just a minor upset that didn't seem to cause a problem - the security levels on my computer are very high anyway. The problem I'm really confused and worried about is the constant barrage of DM cookies I'm being sent whenever I access another DM page (all from DM) - and the fact that I get logged out if I accidently reject any of them If I haven't changed anything and it's not happened before...I'm not sure what the answer is.
jack	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 5:22 PM Rodrica - I noticed you're not a subscriber - maybe all these cookies are tracking cookies from the advertising companies? Although that still doesn't explain why you get logged out if you reject any of the ones aside from the u, i and p cookies
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 5:35 PM No...as far as I can see they are all cookies with DM addresses. I can reject paypal etc without any problem. But for some reason I'm getting extra DM cookies all over the place! Also some are not sessional cookies either. For example I have just been to Chillinbuzz. One of several cookies I've now got is chillinbuzz.dmusic.net--utma and expires Mon Jan 2038! Domain address is chillinbuzz.dmusic.net Now...if I had rejected the cookie then I'd have got logged out. This is good isn't it?
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 5:41 PM And having visited the community page... Cookie came up - site.interact.dmusic.com
jack	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 5:55 PM Well, I've just been to ChillinBuzz's page and I haven't any cookies named like that or expire in 2038 -- I really can't understand what would be causing this.
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 6:16 PM Could it be a peculiarity with the Mozilla/mac combo? Maybe if anyone else here has a mac they can check it out. I know Tim Sanders uses a mac but not sure if he uses Mozilla. Does Leflaw use that package?
jack	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 6:19 PM We have a mac in the office--I can see if I can have it checked out there
Rodrica	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 6:27 PM Thanks for all your help Jack - much appreciate I'll check and see how things are going later in the week
Distilled1	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 7:15 PM that is really odd.
celtaidd	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 7:21 PM Me had same problem. Set Firefox to accept 3rd party cookies, now no problem
jack	Date: June 21, 2006 @ 7:48 PM it could be because cookies that come from dmusic.net could be classed as third party - same if you're on dmusic.net and they come from dmusic.com
Engine11RDenny	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 6:22 AM Your right Rodrica I just opened Windows Explorer set it to 'show all files' and looked in my Windows Cookies folder and I'm loaded with them - I'm ripe with cookies
TameasDust	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 6:41 AM want something strange to look at ... open your cookies folder and then go up one folder and then click the temp folder ( it may be a hidden folder ) everything you have accessed looked at or installed has a temp file in there
TameasDust	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 6:43 AM C:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Temp that is the address on xp
Rodrica	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 3:51 PM The whole point is though...DM MUST have changed SOMETHING. I know I haven't! So something that's been done in the last week or so is creating all this stuff surely! I really don't want to alter the security settings on my computer or any other settings for that matter just because DM has changed its system. I don't get this problem on any other site...I've just checked them all. I can't get around this site if I have to accept yet another cookie every time I visit a new page...it's just not workable. I accidently rejected a cookie here on 4 occasions today...and got logged out immediately - even though I accepted all the usual log in cookies. There is definitely some kind of problem specific to this site which has only occured in the last few days. I'm getting very now.
ChillinBuzz	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 4:11 PM I wonder if anything did get changed, Mozilla does have a plethora of tools related to security but Mozilla on a Mac isn't my speciality. do the _utm* cookies have any data contained within that could possibly connect them to the login cookies contained in the dmusic.net/.com cookies, that might cause this?
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 4:29 PM So I just looked at my cookies in firefox and low and behold one for ever page both user and bands didn't used to log all of those. and I'm at work not suposed to be on a music site at all! thank god for spybot secure shreder Any way back on point yes these were not there before
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 4:36 PM so I just set firefox to accept only dmusic.com and dmusic.net, logs out at every page, that used to work for me
hantu	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 6:31 PM yeh, i have that same problem too. Cookies on every page about 3 times
hantu	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 6:35 PM im using firefox on winxp btw
pog	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 6:49 PM I have 6 cookies from dmusic, and that's it... I've never had issues with any extra cookie's announcing themselves, particularly ones from userpages. What I'm thinking is that some of the banneradds that we are getting are possibly dropping in some kind of spyware that's able to alter browser habits. It could have even been picked up whilst surfing the net at places like Myspace I suggest heading down to http://phoenixlabs.org/ and getting peerguardian it may give you more of an idea as to what's making it all happen. There's an osx version there... hope that works for ya.
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 7:40 PM At home just checked on them 2 for every dmusic page a utmz and a utma cant find the login ones but when I cleard them I was loged off!
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 7:40 PM firefox latest build and XP pro
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 7:41 PM I'll run peer gaurd and see what hapens with it on. Haven't used that in a long time.
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 7:43 PM 183066675.1151018652.1.1.utmccn=(direct)\|utmcsr=(direct)\|utmcmd=(none)
Distilled1	Date: June 22, 2006 @ 7:44 PM thats from DMusic.com have the (3) p u a? then a few more utmz like this all from just this page And I have no adds I am a subscriber
Rodrica	Date: June 23, 2006 @ 6:30 AM I've checked and nothing seems to be altering my browser habits. I only get the problem here. And I don't visit myspace...but don't tempt me! Definitely no bugs on my system
TameasDust	Date: June 23, 2006 @ 6:49 AM seems yah get cookies for every page yah visit ... and user page yah visit ... hmmm wonder what happens when I open my list ... same ole same ole ... I just have four cookies for each page I have open ... the cookies expire at different rates ... if you say hi to bunches of people yah get bunches of cookies ... there are two types of cookies ... ones that just say you have been here ... and ones that report back to someone somewhere what you sre doin ... pog would know more about this than i do ... I just delete my cookies and offline content at least once per day
Distilled1	Date: June 23, 2006 @ 9:06 AM I delet mine everyday but Rodricas right we shouldn't be geting so many from each page and some expire 2038! somethings a mis but maybe its firefox
jack	Date: June 23, 2006 @ 11:00 AM The only cookies you should be receiving from DMusic are the login cookies, and cookies named _utm* What are the names of these cookies that expire on 2038 (apart from the login cookies, they're supposed to)? my _utm* cookies expire the day they are sent.
ChillinBuzz	Date: June 23, 2006 @ 12:34 PM i was looking at Mozilla's cookie handling options, i had been basing my thoughts previously on the settings in Firefox but Moz's option page is a lot different. using Mozilla, under edit/preferences, then privacy & security/cookies, my settings are as follows: Cookie Acceptance Policy: allow cookies based on privacy settings (then pressing view button) - medium level of privacy (which greys out the boxes below it) - there are 8 boxes below, 4 for first party cookies and 4 for third party cookies, the top 2 pairs of boxes read "flag" and the bottom 2 pairs read "accept". Cookie Lifetime Policy: Accept cookies normally. (Interestingly enough, under the Manage Cookies and Sites, i have __utma and __utmz cookies listed for mozillazine. org) With these settings, I don't get the problem you do, Rodrica. If you can check your settings there and post them here, it might be of help.
Distilled1	Date: June 23, 2006 @ 1:20 PM the 2038 was a utmz If I remember right the string od stuff above was it.
Rodrica	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 8:42 AM Chill...instead of "medium" my cookies are set to "custom" and under those settings are set to "flag". I like to know exactly what's bombarding my computer and I like to decide whether to accept it. Sure...I can probably get around the problem by accepting cookies and/or changing my settings. But I'm not happy about doing that. My computer is set up for security and works perfectly on all other websites. It also worked perfectly on DM until a short time ago. I just don't think it's acceptable that ppl should be expected to put their computer security at risk because of what seems to be an apparent change here at DM If the browser settings were at fault then I would have always had this problem. However it's only occured recently and I've made no changes this end. And Distilled, yes I sent Jack a list of all the cookies I was getting and they included 2038 cookies too Sorry...but with weird things happening I'm losing confidence in the security of the site - and that's something I've never had to worry about before and was always extremely happy with.
Rodrica	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 9:06 AM ....and I just accidently rejected solipsism's net page cookie and not only did it then stop me reply to his shout, but I got logged out! This is REALLY getting on my nerves!
jack	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 10:29 AM i can confirm we haven't changed anything related to cookies or logins etc on our side - so i really have no idea what would suddenly cause this to happen, in all honesty.
TameasDust	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 10:34 AM cookies are a fact of life on the internet ... they allow servers to see if a person is legit or a hacker trying to be a clone of the person ... it helps with security ... without them you could be anyone and we couldnt prove any different as for the amount of cookies .. I have not noticed much change ... google ads may have something to do with it ... as the google task bar tracks your every move ... some cookies are bad cookies but none of the cookies here are bad ones they just help the site remain secure. now if you dont want to eat your cookies you don't get any milk
Rodrica	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 10:48 AM I want to know why the Mozilla/mac combo gets sent loads but nobody else seems to have them. Fine...if DM has cookies that affect everyone then that's just something I would accept. But cookies that seem to be causing a problem and logging out only certain members suggests a blip in the system which needs resolving. ...and can I have something stronger rather than milk?
jack	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 12:04 PM Rodrica - I noticed the _utm pattern is present on other websites too. And, after doing some research, it turns out they are related to google. (UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module) Unfortunately, if rejecting these cookies logs you out from DMusic there's nothing we can do, since we aren't setting these cookies it would classed as a problem with Google. My suggestion is to upgrade your browser to more recent version (I'm using Firefox 1.5.0.4)
ChillinBuzz	Date: June 26, 2006 @ 3:41 PM After some reading into the cookies (what i can see and how the data is used), there seems to be nothing that the cookies contain that would compromise your security, Rodrica, as Tameas suggested the changes to your cookie settings in Mozilla coupled with the large number of cookies here now explain why you get a headache. I think the vast majority of Mozilla users here use the same settings as I do (the default) and that is why we don't get the issues you do, my only advice really is to allow them, if they were in any way a security risk, you know as well as I the furore that it would create on this site. Unfortunately, due to the massive variations in systems, browsers and settings, it makes the coders' lives here (and some users, like yourself) a complete nightmare just for one site and I understand that. If it's only happening here then just accept those cookies unconditionally, after all, what have you got to lose apart from your hair you seem to be tearing out
Rodrica	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 7:32 AM Right. I've been on several other computers from a completely different IP address. NOT a mac. NOT Mozilla or Firefox. I used microsoft computers and accessed DM via several different browsers including explorer. The cookies are still there...every one of them. The only reason most ppl aren't noticing them is that their security levels are not set so high. Jack...A question...If DM aren't setting the cookies then why do they have DM domain addresses? Are you saying Google are sending me DMusic cookies? And if Google can do that, then why doesn't this happen on any other site?
Rodrica	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 7:55 AM Oh and Chill...in answer to your question what have I got to lose. My computer if it gets attacked, my privacy because I don't like being tracked without my say-so, and when I get logged out...my patience! There are certain sites (who shall remain nameless) I just refuse to visit because I object to their crappy attempts at gathering marketing information. I don't see the point in it. Clandestine methods only produce inaccurate figures anyway and are rarely helpful. Vitaminic used to send about 10,000 cookies everytime you accessed at page (I exaggerate, but it was often around 30), and look what happened to them. Knowing what I was doing when I was on the web didn't help them stay in business. And the clause about passing on your details to all and sundry has made be steer well clear of myspace. I'll shut up now
zedsalt	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 11:14 AM One could, I suppose, periodically and often delete all of the info the data miners are mining for. It would be a terrible hassle, I know, and a tough habit to fall into, but it is a possibility.
GeneHilbert	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 12:02 PM Window Washer and Spybot - I use both about every week or 2 to clean all that shit out. I allow cookies - I tried not to for a while but it was a pain in the ass. So now I let them in - Norton blocks virus intrusions, and the cookies and crap I clean out periodically.
jack	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 12:19 PM Rodrica. They are being set from DM pages, for the urchin tracking (forget what google call it now), but we do not control the quantity of the cookies set. Here is the javascript code we place at the bottom of each page: [script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"] [/script] [script type="text/javascript"] _uacct = "UA-417726-1"; urchinTracker(); [/script] So, to the browser, they originate from our pages, but the actual cookie is set off-site (in the urchin.js) file.
jack	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 12:22 PM When the page calls the urchinTracker() function, google will set the four _utm cookies on your system in order for the analytic module to work. I'm pretty much 100% certain this is the cause of all your woes. I know for certain it's nothing we've changed to our system that would be causing the problem, and the only reason that comes to mind is the fact that perhaps it's because we have two domain names. (DMusic.com and Dmusic.net on the same anayltics account) - the funny thing is, even if I reject these cookies I do not experience the logouts you talk about. Only if I reject any of the DM cookies (u, i, a) am I logged out.
jack	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 12:23 PM that's u, i, p
kingo	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 1:17 PM What's urchinTracker and why is there code for it on every page? That's not a complaint, just a question.
jack	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 1:29 PM It's for google analytics: "Google Analytics tells you everything you want to know about how your visitors found you and how they interact with your site. You'll be able to focus your marketing resources on campaigns and initiatives that deliver ROI, and improve your site to convert more visitors." http://www.google.com/analytics/
Distilled1	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 1:53 PM Jack correct me if I'm wrong-- Would disabling js fix Rodricas issue although maybe that would be trouble for here as well. I know for a long time I ran firefox with no js,java or other active-x extentions, untill I was sick of seeing the msgs to DL.
jack	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 2:00 PM She could, but with amount of javascript about on the web it'd cause a lot of other things to not work right.
Distilled1	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 2:03 PM Thats what I figured. But the js has more security holes than cookies, no? Just another sugestion. Still think allowing them from here would be easyer. use S & D to clean your cookies, cashe and history every few days with the secure shreader
GeneHilbert	Date: June 27, 2006 @ 4:27 PM I still prefer chocolate chip....
Rodrica	Date: June 28, 2006 @ 12:18 PM I can get around it, but it isn't an ideal situation. I always clear my cookies, cache and history every time I go offline. And in a lot of cases I clear all cookies once I leave a site. So they never get a chance to hang around on my computer anyway. I have high security, I regularly run anti-virus and spyware checks and I usually use a mac on the web. So yes...I can accept the cookies and get around the site. But if I forget to accept one of them I'll get logged out which is a real nuisance. I guess my original post was right then. The situation is necessary so that DM has some kind of independent verification as to audience stats - a "must" when trying to attract advertisers But I think we need to bear in mind that whilst we want maximum stats...we could lose some of them if the site becomes difficult to navigate. Thanks to everyone above for all their help and efforts in looking into this
zro	Date: August 5, 2006 @ 2:00 AM Never thought I'd find answers here about utm*. Saw the cookies on my own local test site without even setting cookies. Now I know.