Staying Logged In on PF: Benefits and Potential Concerns

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Using the "Stay logged in" feature on PF allows users to bypass repeated login prompts by storing a cookie on their device. This cookie enables seamless access without burdening the PF server, as the responsibility for storing it lies with the user. Users can remain logged in for extended periods, but should avoid using this feature on public or shared computers to prevent unauthorized access. Clearing cookie files or switching devices will require re-authentication. Overall, the feature is designed to enhance user convenience without causing issues for PF.
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I have been clicking "Stay logged in" so that I don't have to enter my name and password every time I want to contribute to PF. Does this cause any problems for PF? Sometimes I am logged in for weeks at a time.
 
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No problem at all. That's why the feature exists :)
 
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I hope it doesn't cause problems, I've been logged in for years.
 
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It's a cookie on your device/devices created when you first log in with the "remember me" box checked. After that when you hit the site your browser transmits the cookie, the PF server looks at it and decides that it's as good as making you go through the username/password stuff. That costs the server absolutely nothing because you're the one who's responsible for storing the cookie.

If you ever tell your browser to clear its cookie files, or if you are coming from a new device, you'll likely be asked to log in again to get a new cookie that again will last more or less forever.
 
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Just don't do it on public/shared computers, otherwise someone else might get access to your account.
 
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gmax137 said:
Does this cause any problems for PF?
Like flies, locusts, frogs or rivers turning to blood? I wouldn't worry about that.
 
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I want to thank those members who interacted with me a couple of years ago in two Optics Forum threads. They were @Drakkith, @hutchphd, @Gleb1964, and @KAHR-Alpha. I had something I wanted the scientific community to know and slipped a new idea in against the rules. Thank you also to @berkeman for suggesting paths to meet with academia. Anyway, I finally got a paper on the same matter as discussed in those forum threads, the fat lens model, got it peer-reviewed, and IJRAP...
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