private browsing

[stuck]

As a follow on from the thread about (Facebook) and trying to avoid it...

FF has a feature called private browsing (there is an equivalent in IE 8, called 'In Private').

I've not used it extensively but if I activate it and then visit The Lounge, FF ignores my cookies and I arrive at the portal as if I'm not logged in. Anyone care to offer opinions on how private or otherwise this feature may be?

Fore example, is it worth using this option when doing on-line banking so that everything evaporates when you're done? OK, the downside is you have to remember all your passwords etc. and log in fresh each time but is that not 'more secure' than leaving cookies lying around in the unlikely event something bad sneaks onto your PC?

Ken

[Argus]

In my opinion it's only 'private' to other people using the same account as you on the PC. It's about what is saved on the local account, and if anyone has access to that it might make a difference. But for open networks with a laptop...

As for your example; though in my case it involves a few more steps than a single password to log in to my bank, so saving cookies in my case would not cut it, i.e. it wouldn't help me the next time, but I clean 'em, or have them as session cookies, close the browser and they are gone, out of old habit.

But what do I know? I don't remember if it was Microsoft or someone else on the topic, say that you and your spouse share the PC and you are going to buy a Christmas present then private browsing is handy... as mentioned above.

[IanWilson]

As a follow on from the thread about (Facebook) and trying to avoid it...

FF has a feature called private browsing (there is an equivalent in IE 8, called 'In Private').

I've not used it extensively but if I activate it and then visit The Lounge, FF ignores my cookies and I arrive at the portal as if I'm not logged in. Anyone care to offer opinions on how private or otherwise this feature may be?

Fore example, is it worth using this option when doing on-line banking so that everything evaporates when you're done? OK, the downside is you have to remember all your passwords etc. and log in fresh each time but is that not 'more secure' than leaving cookies lying around in the unlikely event something bad sneaks onto your PC?

Ken

There's a similar feature in Opera - you can open a new "private tab". As with FF, it doesn't remember the history, and a quick experiment just now confirms that if I go to the "other" Lounge from a private tab, I have to sign in, but if I go the regular way it remembers me and I am already signed in.

Ian