Q: Browser ID assumption - Not able to differentiate multiple users on 1 PC

I have no intention of using any such mechanism to distinguish users of
my PHP applications, but I was wondering (and it isn't easy for me to
test) ...

....On a single PC with a single browser where multiple users log-in to
it eg on a PC called FOO there might be users MARY and JOHN is it the
general practice for browsers to have separate cookie/cache/password
files so that if JOHN looks at my web page and I previously sent him a
"you are John" cookie he'll be identified by it and not by the "you are
Mary" cookie that Mary obtained between times.




--
PETER FOX Not the same since the submarine business went under
peterfox@eminent.demon.co.uk.not.this.bit.no.html
2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex <http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk>

Peter Fox wrote:
> ...On a single PC with a single browser where multiple users log-in to
> it eg on a PC called FOO there might be users MARY and JOHN is it the
> general practice for browsers to have separate cookie/cache/password
> files so that if JOHN looks at my web page and I previously sent him a
> "you are John" cookie he'll be identified by it and not by the "you are
> Mary" cookie that Mary obtained between times.

IME, yes, the cookies will be specific to the different accounts on the
computer. This is especially true with *nix, mac osx, win xp/2000/nt.
The ones that I am unsure of are Mac OS <= 9.2, win <= 98/me, and any
other operating system not mentioned above.

HTH

--
Justin Koivisto, ZCE - justin@koivi.com
http://koivi.com

On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 09:18:50 +0000, Peter Fox wrote:

> I have no intention of using any such mechanism to distinguish users of
> my PHP applications, but I was wondering (and it isn't easy for me to
> test) ...
>
> ...On a single PC with a single browser where multiple users log-in to
> it eg on a PC called FOO there might be users MARY and JOHN is it the
> general practice for browsers to have separate cookie/cache/password
> files so that if JOHN looks at my web page and I previously sent him a
> "you are John" cookie he'll be identified by it and not by the "you are
> Mary" cookie that Mary obtained between times.

You probably want something like this:

<?php
$agent = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'];
if (preg_match('/firefox/i', $agent))
echo "Congratulations! You are using the One True Browser!<br>";
else
die("Apage, Satanas! I don't serve those who don't use Firefox!<br>");
?>


--
http://www.mgogala.com

Mladen Gogala <gogala@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 09:18:50 +0000, Peter Fox wrote:
>
>> I have no intention of using any such mechanism to distinguish users of
>> my PHP applications, but I was wondering (and it isn't easy for me to
>> test) ...
>>
>> ...On a single PC with a single browser where multiple users log-in to
>> it eg on a PC called FOO there might be users MARY and JOHN is it the
>> general practice for browsers to have separate cookie/cache/password
>> files so that if JOHN looks at my web page and I previously sent him a
>> "you are John" cookie he'll be identified by it and not by the "you are
>> Mary" cookie that Mary obtained between times.
>
>You probably want something like this:

You probably want to READ the posts before replying.
--
- Tim Roberts, timr@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.