Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!rpi!bu.edu!snorkelwacker!ai-lab!life!entropy From: entropy@churchy.ai.mit.edu (Nick Castellano) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech Subject: Re: Cookie Jar Message-ID: Date: 30 Sep 90 08:42:33 GMT References: <1990Sep29.130821.1@cbrown.claremont.edu> Sender: news@ai.mit.edu Organization: not much Lines: 21 In-reply-to: jrhine@cbrown.claremont.edu's message of 29 Sep 90 20:08:21 GMT In article <1990Sep29.130821.1@cbrown.claremont.edu> jrhine@cbrown.claremont.edu writes: >Ok, I can't wait any longer. Forgive me, but what is a cookie-jar? Before >recieving access to the net, I had never heard of such a thing. I can't seem >to pick up its function from the context of messages discussing it. Anyone >care to fill me in? The cookie jar is an area of memory. Any program can insert its cookie into the cookie jar. Then other programs can scan the cookie jar to see if that program has been run. A program which installs memory-resident code can use this to recognize that it has already been installed, so it won't install itself twice. Another program which relies on features of a specific memory resident programs (for example, one which extends the Bios) can make sure that program has been installed. -- | | | ncastellano@{eagle.wesleyan.edu, wesleyan.bitnet} | | | entropy@ai.mit.edu / | \ Sinkhole!dEADHEAd[@mast.citadel.moundst.mn.org] (call 203-873-8518) / | \ snikt!entropy