Board Cookies?

[.Coyote]

I was wondering, first of all, what Board Cookies were.
The question came up when I was looking in my View your posts" area and I was trying to find a way that would wipe out all the threads I posted in, but don't actually go on anymore. So then I saw this Board Cookie thing at the bottom of the Forum and clicked it. It logged me out. I am to guess that it doesn't do what I thought it did, which was wipe out recognition with the current thread I was in, as the thread is still listed under "View your posts". So now I am far less interested in how to get rid of unwanted threads in the section, and more wanting to find out what wiping out the cookies actually does. I know when you delete internet cookies, it wipes out recognition of your password, so when you log in somewhere, your password doesn't just show up for you. Since mine never did that here anyway, what could these cookies be?

[Turq8]

Here is a good definition of "internet cookies" that I found:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cookie1.htm

As for clearing threads out from your "view your posts," there is no way to do that, sorry. That's why it's good to use bookmarks, because you can get rid of those when you don't want them anymore.

[.Coyote]

Hmm... So by reading this I get the idea that by clicking the removal of all cookies by this forum, it is wiping out all the info that this site has on my hard drive? I already knew cookies were harmless, I just couldn't figure out why getting rid of them would cause me to log out (I have done this several times).

[Turq8]

Well, cookies are loaded by the site so that it can load faster the next time you visit. It's like you visit someone's house, they give you something they want to remember, and then the next time you visit you give it back to them. Kind of. So, one of the things CS can remember is your username/password, so you don't have to log in every time you visit.

[Sorren Fey]

You also need cookies to stay logged in. Some peeps disable cookies and then wonder why they always get logged out. x3

[Nick]

Pretty much all the cookie does here is remember who you are logged in as. That's the only reliable way that websites can use to remember who you are between pageloads - otherwise you would have to log in again every time you viewed a new page!