I am curious to know, how do search engines get user details when a person uses the search facility. Normally only the IP address of the computer is available and that too changes dynamically. So except for city location of the computer, how do they know the user details?
Er,cookies??
Regards, Easwar
Easwar Hariharan wrote:
I am curious to know, how do search engines get user details when a person uses the search facility. Normally only the IP address of the computer is available and that too changes dynamically. So except for city location of the computer, how do they know the user details?
Er,cookies??
Cookies will only tell if the same pc is back. It does not reveal user information. Firefox users can set cookies to 'Untill I close firefox' option. This keeps them alive for that session only.
On 9/6/07, Rony ronbillypop@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
Easwar Hariharan wrote:
I am curious to know, how do search engines get user details when a person uses the search facility. Normally only the IP address of the computer is available and that too changes dynamically. So except for city location of the computer, how do they know the user details?
Er,cookies??
Cookies will only tell if the same pc is back. It does not reveal user information. Firefox users can set cookies to 'Untill I close firefox' option. This keeps them alive for that session only.
Much of the data is just anonymous information regarding your locality, browser/OS use, ISP speed, resolution, etc. Location information depends on your ISP. Sify, for example shows my location as Chennai ;)
Personal information can be gained through 2 ways; either voluntrary, where you sign up for "saved searches" feature or when you sign in to your email and search for something at the same time.
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Easwar Hariharan -
Rony -
Siddhesh Poyarekar