What are cookies?
'Internet cookies' are text files containing small pieces of data (such as a username and password) that are used to identify your computer as you use a computer network. Specific cookies known as HTTP cookies are used to identify specific users and improve your web browsing experience.
HTTP cookies are built specifically for web browsers to personalise each user’s session. A 'session' just refers to the time you spend on a website.
When you visit a new website, the web server (the remote computer which stores the website’s data) sends a short stream of identifying information to your web browser.
The server only sends the cookie when it wants the web browser to save it. Your web browser will then store it locally (i.e. on your device) to remember who you are.
If you return to that site in the future, your browser will send it back to the server to provide continuity between your sessions. Cookies often have an expiry date, much like real cookies!
How does the MSARS website use cookies?
This website is built on the 'Joomla' platform. It therefore uses the standard cookie-setting processes that come pre-installed with that open source content management system.
Joomla uses cookies to store information about a number of things. These include your session, which means it saves information on what you have done on the site during this current visit (for example what pages you have visited and whether you have logged in). Features such as "Remember me" use cookies that last longer than your session in order to save your login information.
Some Joomla extensions may create their own cookies. The MSARS website does not employ any third party extensions which require the use of cookies. We do not use, or indeed condone, the use of cookies or any other technology for tracking, advertising or general profiling purposes. We do however subscribe to Google Analytics through the Google Search Console programme. We only do this to better understand which search terms bring people to our website so that we can improve and focus our content on what you want to see. If you choose to use the Google search engine, you will already have consented to Google using your search data for their own uses. Should you wish to avoid this, there are many other excellent search engines out there such as DuckDuckGo.
Your use of the MSARS website
By continuing to browse and interact with our website, you agree to the use of cookies as outlined above. You may decline the use of such cookies at your initial visit (by clicking the 'Decline' button in the consent banner) but the website may not then function correctly. You may delete any or all cookies stored locally on your device by referring to the documentation supplied by your web browser provider.
Other than that...
You may also wish to review our Privacy Policy, available on the main menu.
Please enjoy your visit to our little place on the Internet!
