A cookie can help you. If you accept a cookie, nothing affects you immediately. But you know what happens whenever you want to download software, access a premium site or even request permission to use a Microsoft logo on your Web page? You get asked questions like who you are and your email address. And that happens every time you want to download stuff.

If you have accepted a cookie, however, those questions eventually will be asked just once, no matter how often you download software or how many Microsoft sites you visit.

In the future, a cookie will allow you to tell us what information you prefer to read and what you don't. If you're a gamer, for example, we can advise you on content specific to games.

Because we want you to know why we ask you to accept a cookie. We want to be sure you understand that accepting a cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any personal information about you.

Cookies are harmless, occupying just a few bytes on your hard drive. They also can be a Web site browser's very good friend.