Managing the Information Saved in Your Browser
When you surf the Net, your browser program works to make it easier and faster for you to use the Internet by saving information about the pages you visit. As you surf, your browser is storing images, Web page addresses and other assorted information that it can use again in the future. This is why a Web page typically loads faster the second time you visit it and how your browser is able to fill out forms based on the information you have entered in the past.
While this stored information has its benefits, it can also cause problems if someone else uses your computer. For example, imagine that you spent the morning using Google to research video games to make sure you get little Timmy that perfect birthday gift. You searched for “best video games”, “recommended kids games” and any other phrase you could think of. After finding some good sites and getting some good recommendations, you settle on a game title, turn off the computer and move on to other things. Then, later that day when little Timmy gets home, he boots up the computer, goes online and uses Google to do a search for “baseball”. As soon as little Timmy types in the “b”, all of the searches that have been entered into Google starting with the letter “b” display in a dropdown menu, including your search for “best video games”. Little Timmy gets suspicious, checks the browser history, sees a list of all the video game sites that have been visited that day and is now slyly inquiring about your newfound interest in arcade style racing games.
Whether you are trying to prevent little Timmy from ruining his birthday surprise or are using a public computer to access the Net, you may want to edit or remove some of the information that gets saved by the browser. The following is a brief look at the types of information that your browser may be saving and where you can go to learn how to manage this information.
Browser Cache
The browser cache is where your browser saves information such as images and text in order to speed up your browsing. This information is used the next time you visit a page so your computer does not have to download it from the Internet again. These saved files can also be used to view visited Web pages even when you are not connected to the Internet.
Browser History
The history is a list of Web pages that have been visited using your browser. The history can be used to easily go back to previously visited pages without retyping the address and in many browsers can be accessed by clicking the dropdown button next to the address bar. The history is typically organized chronologically so it is possible to retrace your steps online.
Browser Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are used by Web pages to store information on your computer such as usernames and other identifying information. While cookies are generally harmless and are often times required for a Web site to function properly, they can be used to track online activities.
Saved Form Information
In order to make it easier for you to browse the Net, browsers have the ability to save the information you type into forms, including search engines. This is done to reduce the amount of time spent typing repetitive information such as usernames and passwords. Especially when using a public computer, it is important to make sure your personal information is not saved in the browser and made available to others.
For instructions on managing and clearing the information that is saved in your browser, please visit the Help section of the GoBigWest homepage (http://www.gobigwest.com/preportal/help.asp). Then click PC Windows Setup or Apple Macintosh Setup depending on whether you are using a PC or an Apple Macintosh computer. Click the Browsers for Surfing link, select your browser from the list and follow the instructions provided.
