I'm at the early stages of making decisions on pursuing a sort of co-existent "cookie combined with registration" setup at a web site.

The cookie side of things would allow repeat visitors to observe "new" type flags when appropriate, and provide some pre-filled-out form fields in areas where the visitors contribute.

The registration side of things would allow repeat visitors to experience the same type of cookie benefits **across different computers** (plus some other beneficial aspects associated with registration).

The reason for two systems is based on my observation that requiring registration will absolutely turn an unacceptable percentage of visitors away from the site.

My goal is to establish a method that accommodates both aspects .... offering the anonymity of not having to register (along with the limited benefits cookies offer) but also offering the added value of registering for those who recognize and accept the benefits associated with registration.

A friend of mine who is much more knowledgable in the monk-thinking ways of the web-world initially thought the user_tracker Apache module would be the way to go, but has since reconsidered, concerned that it may not accommodate the registration portion of the equation as elegantly as hoped.

Do any monks have advice, suggestions, or recommendations on how to best pursue this hybrid approach? Again, this issue is at the most conceptual of stages, and I'm seeking advice on paths to follow as early as possible. Past experience has taught me that a little extra early investigation can go a long way towards avoiding later major backtracking.

In reply to combining cookies and user registration - strategies? by Hagbone

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