Cookies have been praised as a powerful convenience -- and damned as Big Brother's way of keeping intrusively close track of user behavior. Initially introduced as a way for developers to store tiny amounts of information on client computers, they have spread from CGI programming to JavaScripting, and are an important part of the toolbox for Microsoft Active Server Pages, Java servlets, and Netscape LiveWire development. Savvy web developers are realizing that cookie management is a critical task, with serious implications for website architecture. While not a complete solution to Web needs, cookies are more useful than many people know. Let Simon St. Laurent give you the full picture of how cookies fit into your Web toolkit and how they work with other tools.