<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--


// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
  var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
      ((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
      ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
      ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
      ((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
  document.cookie = curCookie;
}


// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does not exist
function getCookie(name) {
  var dc = document.cookie;
  var prefix = name + "=";
  var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
  if (begin == -1) {
    begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
    if (begin != 0) return null;
  } else
    begin += 2;
  var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
  if (end == -1)
    end = dc.length;
  return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
}


// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain) {
  if (getCookie(name)) {
    document.cookie = name + "=" +
    ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
    ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
    "; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
  }
}


// date - any instance of the Date object
// * hand all instances of the Date object to this function for "repairs"
function fixDate(date) {
  var base = new Date(0);
  var skew = base.getTime();
  if (skew > 0)
    date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
}


// -->
</SCRIPT>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">


<!--
// create an instance of the Date object
var now = new Date();
// fix the bug in Navigator 2.0, Macintosh
fixDate(now);
// cookie expires in one year (actually, 365 days)
// 365 days in a year
// 24 hours in a day
// 60 minutes in an hour
// 60 seconds in a minute
// 1000 milliseconds in a second
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 365 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
var visits = getCookie("counter");
// if the cookie was not found, this is your first visit
if (!visits) {
  visits = 1; // the value for the new cookie
  document.write("By the way, this is your first time here.");
} else {
  // increment the counter
  visits = parseInt(visits) + 1;
  document.write("By the way, you have been here " + visits + " times.");
}
// set the new cookie
setCookie("counter", visits, now);
// -->


</SCRIPT>