Identifying browser user

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In a web page how do you identify who a users is without the user visibly logging on? Just like the lounge knows who I am and says “Welcome David Hare-Scott”

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Cookies

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So you are saying that the server does not identify the user at all, the cookie on the user’s machine provides the information. So if the cookie said “Jack The Ripper” the server would use that string and put it on the page for the user’s name? Have I got that straight?

David

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David:

The web server needs to be told who the user is, either by the traditional “Enter user name and password” form, or possibly by using integrated Windows security if it’s being accessed on an intranet. Once the server knows who the person is, you can write a cookie to the user’s PC which the server can access again at a later time. Of course, if the user clears their cookies, it’s back to square 1!

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I think Shane has summed it up pretty well.
There is some user information which is readily accessible – examples here at JavaScript – and I daresay there are some other (unethical) means to grab user details, but this will depend on their security settings. (e.g. you can set up for an email to be sent to you when a page is accessed, but a warning is liable to be shown on screen first.)

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