[nsmith]

I'd like to keep my internet viewing habits private (snoopy girlfriend). I had a program called HistorySweep on my PC that would clear everything either when IE was closed or you clicked it (it also cleaned up temp files, windows media player etc...). Is there a program for the mac that will clear all of your history (other than going through it manually)?

[moose_n_squirrel]

If your browsers are current, Firefox has Erase Private Data, Safari has Private Browsing, and in Safari you can open the History in your Bookmarks window and Select All, Delete.

[jasongins]

In OS X 10.3.9, while in Safari just click on "History" and then "Clear History"

[macnuke]

Safari >> Help enter "private browsing"
and you get this...

code:
 When you browse the Internet, Safari stores information about the websites you visit on your computer. 

That information can include the contents of the webpages you've viewed and any information you've entered at a site, 

such as usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. 

Other people who use your computer may be able to view that information.

If you don't want Safari to store this information, you can turn on private browsing. When private browsing is turned on



Webpages are not added to the history. (You can still use the Back and Forward buttons to return to webpages you've viewed in a window.)

Items are automatically removed from the Downloads window when private browsing is turned off.

Information isn't saved for AutoFill, including names and passwords.

Searches are not added to the pop-up menu in the Google search field.

Cookies are deleted when private browsing is turned off.



To turn on private browsing, choose Safari > Private Browsing.

To turn off private browsing, choose Safari > Private Browsing again, and close any windows you've used to view private information. 

(Other users can view pages you've visited in any open window by using the Back and Forward buttons.)



Private browsing is always turned off when you open Safari, even if it was on when you last quit Safari. 

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[moose_n_squirrel]

In reply to:

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In OS X 10.3.9, while in Safari just click on "History" and then "Clear History"

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Works in Tiger too. I shoulda seen that! Good one.

[nsmith]

Okay, so I go to "history" and hit delete, fine. problem is, under the "edit" button you can undo the delete thereby making it worthless. also, i tried to find how to turn on "private browsing", but i failed, any help?
so i guess in the end, it takes me back to my original question: how can i permanently delete my internet history? and/or is there a third party program that will just knock it all out for me?
Thanks!

[moose_n_squirrel]

Two questions:
If you clear history and then quit, isn't it unretrievable the next time Safari starts?
If your girlfriend is that snoopy, can you just set up a user account for her and make her use that, so she never gets to see your account, and make sure you lock the screen before leaving? If she is that snoopy, then you've got other things to protect on your account beyond what's in the browser...

[vero110us]

I need something that clears history AUTOMATICALLY maybe a script?

I already have automatic private browsing, but when I use aol desktop it still saves history ??? now what???

thank you for your help

[dcpics]

You could try using a script to delete the history pref file on a regular basis, or create a droplet that you click when you are done with Safari that deletes this.

The .plist file is located in User>Library>Safari>History.plist


Try creating an script using Automator that will get that file and move to trash and then empty trash. Not sure if you can set it up to run on a time schedule using Automator but you can create a small application that you simply click on and it runs the script.

Just played with Safari 4 and find that when I do Clear History under Edit the undo function is not available so it seems the History is cleared.

[rab777hp]

by the way- private browsing isn't completely private- there are still cache files stored. but it is simple to get rid of them- just type in in terminal: dscacheutil -flushcache
gets rid of some caches.

[rab777hp]

I think this will be useful:
http://www.macworld....tebrowsing.html