Hi, Sage here. Let’s talk about cookies.
You know exactly what I’m talking about. You go to a website to read a recipe for chicken soup, and suddenly your screen is covered by a massive popup asking you to "Review Partners," "Accept All," or read a 4,000-word legal document just to see the ingredients list.
It is annoying, it is performative, and it ruins the user experience. I built this Dark Room to be different.
1. Do I Use Cookies? (Technically, No)
A "Cookie" is a small file sent from a server to your browser to track who you are.
This is a Static Website. I don't have a user login system. I don't have a shopping cart. I don't have a backend database trying to build a psychological profile of you to sell to advertisers.
Therefore, I do not set first-party cookies. I don't need them.
2. The "Flashlight" & Local Storage
"But Sage," you ask, "how does the site remember that I turned the flashlight off?"
That is not a cookie. That is Local Storage.
When you click the light switch, a tiny piece of text (light-last-use) is saved on your computer, inside your browser. It never gets sent to my server. It never gets sent to the cloud. It stays right there on your NAND chip.
This is functional data, not tracking data. It’s the digital equivalent of you leaving a bookmark in a book so you know where you left off. It’s for your convenience, not my profit.
3. Third-Party Cookies (The Stuff I Can't Control)
Occasionally, I might embed a YouTube video to show you something cool.
YouTube is owned by Google. Google loves data. If you play that video, YouTube might set a cookie on your browser to track your watch history or bandwidth. I have no control over that.
If that bothers you and frankly, it should I recommend using a privacy-focused browser like Firefox with "Strict" tracking protection, or an extension like uBlock Origin. Take control of your own hardware.
4. How to Manage Cookies
Since I don't set tracking cookies, there is nothing for me to let you "opt-out" of.
But generally speaking, you have the right to delete cookies whenever you want. Go into your browser settings, hit "Clear Browsing Data," and wipe them out. It’s good digital hygiene, like cleaning the dust out of your heatsink.
Conclusion
I am not interested in tracking you. I am interested in writing code and sharing ideas. Browse in peace.
Stay dark.