Creating a members database

Sessions, Cookies?

[Birdman]

Hello WW,

I'd like to create a membership for one of my hobby sites. I would appreciate some insight on the best way to go about it. My php/sql skills have gotten alot better, so I should be able to hash it out once I decide on a structure.

Should I use:

• Cookies
  
• Sessions
  
• Both
  

I like the idea of using cookies to avoid users having to log in every visit. What do you think?

[Nick_W]

Take WebmasterWorld as a good example, cookies! - Guests can browser but not participate..

Nick

[lazerzubb]

Cookies is easier, it locks it to a specific computer, Sessions is used mainly for short things (Hotmail used to have a 20 minute session, not sure how long it is now)

Sessions can be used if you want to log out the user if it haven't been active for a certain amount of minutes, but i don't think that's necessary in your case (Banks etc use this)

[Birdman]

Okay fellas. Thanks! I have to log off the net for awhile to take a call about a domain issue. I'll check back to further pick your brains ;)