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Why Are Cookies Called Cookies?
Have you ever wondered why internet cookies are called cookies or e-mail spam is called spam? The internet has lots of weird and wonderful terms to call things but have you ever thought where the origins and decisions behind those terms came from? Well we decided to take a look at some common terms and where their concept came from.
Cookies
The term “cookie” in the context of internet browsing actually originates from the word “magic cookie,” which is a term used by programmers. In computing, a magic cookie is a token or piece of data that a program passes to another, and which the latter typically returns in order to authenticate or validate itself.
When the web started to develop, programmers borrowed the term “cookie” to describe a piece of data sent by a website and stored on the user’s computer. This data is exchanged between the web server and the browser to maintain stateful information about the user’s interactions with the website. The idea is similar to a magic cookie in programming: the server sends a piece of data to the browser, which then returns it when accessing subsequent pages on the site, allowing the server to identify and track the user.
So, essentially, internet cookies are named after the concept of “magic cookies” in programming, as they serve a similar purpose of maintaining stateful information between client and server interactions.
Other Common Terms And Where They Got Their Names
Bread Crumbs
You often see breadcrumb lists of navigation on shopping sites. Where you go through the different options but it leaves a trail, so you can easily go back. This came from the children’s story Hansel and Gretel where they leave physical breadcrumbs to find their way back.
Bug
When something goes wrong on the internet it is usually described as a bug. This term derived from a real bug, a moth being trapped in a computer at the Harvard Faculty Computation Lab that was causing problems, when it was released the issue was resolved.
Java
Is a programming language. The origins of the name came from a list of suggestions and choose primarily because it is a popular slang term for coffee that is grown on the island of Java. As programmers drank a lot of coffee, this seemed to be an appropriate name!
Mac (Macintosh)
The computer from Apple derived from the popular type of apple; McIntosh.
Nerd
A colloquial term for a computer person. The original spelling was ‘Knurd’ but kept the pronunciation the same. The term came from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute back in the 1940’s, where students who partied and did not study were called “Drunks”. While the students who did the opposite and studied were called ‘Knurds” which is drunk spelled backwards. The spelling later changed and it gained popularity by being used in a Dr. Seuss book and on the TV show Happy Days.
Pac-Man
The popular video arcade game’s name originates from the term ‘paku paku’ which is the Japanese word for noisy eating like ‘chomp chomp’. The game got released in Japan with the name Puck-Man but when it was released in the US the name was changed to Pac-Man fearing that children may deface the arcade game and change the P to and F.
Spam
which is the unwanted messages you receive in your inbox, derived from the Monty Python SPAM sketch. The sketch is set in a café where the menu includes spam with everything while a customer tries to order something that doesn’t contain spam.
Cookies Play A Role In Web Design/Development And SEO
Cookies play a multifaceted role in web design/development and SEO, contributing to functionality, user experience, analytics, and engagement.
In Web Design And Development
User Authentication
Cookies are commonly used to manage user authentication. When a user logs in to a website, a cookie is often created to store their authentication status. This cookie allows the website to recognize the user as logged in, allowing them to access restricted areas or perform actions that require authentication without having to re-enter their credentials on every page.
Session Management
Cookies are frequently used to manage user sessions. A session cookie is created when a user visits a website and is used to maintain session information, such as the user’s preferences, shopping cart contents, or temporary data, as the user navigates through the site. Session cookies are often temporary and expire when the user closes their browser.
Personalization
Cookies can be used to track user behaviour and preferences, enabling websites to personalise the user experience. For example, cookies can remember a user’s language preference, browsing history, or items they’ve viewed or added to a shopping cart. This data can then be used to tailor content and recommendations to the user’s interests.
In Terms Of SEO
User Experience
Since cookies can affect how users interact with a website, they indirectly influence user experience. Search engines like Google consider UX as a ranking factor, so a well-designed website with positive user interactions, facilitated by cookies, can potentially improve SEO performance.
Tracking and Analytics
Cookies are essential for tracking website traffic, user behaviour, and other metrics crucial for SEO analysis. By understanding how users navigate and engage with a site, webmasters can make informed decisions to improve its SEO performance.
Conversion Tracking
Cookies are often used to track conversions, such as completed purchases or form submissions. By tracking these conversions, website owners can measure the effectiveness of their SEO efforts and marketing campaigns. Understanding which keywords, landing pages, or referral sources drive the most conversions can inform SEO strategy.
Don’t forget we provide high quality web design in staffordshire taking all this into consideration.
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