Sessions question

[Music Man]

Hello All,

I was configuring my store after an install of 155...When I went into the Admin>Configuration tab I noticed the sessions area. It mentions allowing spiders to start a session....

First off....could someone define what a session entails?

Secondly....Do I want spiders to start a session?

Thanks....for any feedback offered....

[DrByte]

The defaults are fine, and it's VERY rarely suitable to make any changes to them.

[RodG]

Hello All,

I was configuring my store after an install of 155...When I went into the Admin>Configuration tab I noticed the sessions area. It mentions allowing spiders to start a session....

First off....could someone define what a session entails?

Secondly....Do I want spiders to start a session?

Thanks....for any feedback offered....

Too expand on DrBytes reply.

The Sessions are what enables a website to maintain 'state' - or simply put, it keeps track of users access as they move from page to page and/or add products to their cart. Almost all websites use Sessions (of one form or another). Cookies can be used for similar purposes. The main difference being that Sessions are stored on the server, Cookies are stored on the customers computer.

Do you want spiders to start a Session. No. It doesn't provide any benefits, and rogue spiders (and even some good ones) will start adding 100's or 1000's of products to their Session/cart as they crawl the site. Something that you really don't want.

Cheers
RodG

[mc12345678]

And to elaborate on the adding items to the cart. In a default ZC store, the fact that someone/something navigating a site has items in the cart, doesn't affect the ability of others to have the same item(s) in their cart because the first to checkout wins.

This means that the quantity available to one visitor is not affected by the quantity held onto by another. The first to check out will claim the quantity they have purchased, the next in line will not be able to claim more than is available as a result of the earlier purchase.

[Music Man]

The defaults are fine, and it's VERY rarely suitable to make any changes to them.

Thanks for the response..... It is good to know about the defaults being that reliable....

[Music Man]

Too expand on DrBytes reply.

The Sessions are what enables a website to maintain 'state' - or simply put, it keeps track of users access as they move from page to page and/or add products to their cart. Almost all websites use Sessions (of one form or another). Cookies can be used for similar purposes. The main difference being that Sessions are stored on the server, Cookies are stored on the customers computer.

Do you want spiders to start a Session. No. It doesn't provide any benefits, and rogue spiders (and even some good ones) will start adding 100's or 1000's of products to their Session/cart as they crawl the site. Something that you really don't want.

Cheers
RodG

Thanks for the explanation.....One thing I've noticed using ZC.....you never stop learning! It's good to have a helpful forum to assist with that learning curve....

[DrByte]

One thing I've noticed using ZC.....you never stop learning! It's good to have a helpful forum to assist with that learning curve....

Yup! I'm always learning new things around here ... even from RodG!

[RodG]

Yup! I'm always learning new things around here ... even from RodG!

LOL, I *seriously* doubt that you learn anything from me. (other than how to upset and offend people). :)

Have to agree about learning new things around here though, especially the things that change over time, so yup, always learning (and always trying to teach). Happy to eat humble pie when needed. :)

Cheers
RodG