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Why You Shouldn't Clear Your Cache

Barry the Innocent (name changed to protect) doesn't like to intentionally clear the cache in his computer. Why? Because ...
it puts a strain on the computer.


No Barry,

Clearing cache, intentionally, deletes files. It simply deletes the files now (because the content is dirty), rather than later (when the content is aged).

The only reason for having cache is to retain files, from each viewing of a given web site to the next viewing, and save on bandwidth use. Other than that, you could have cache flush constantly.

For folks with fat enough pipes, that would actually be the logical thing to do. Cache retention = "0 Days" gives no out of date (dirty) files, ever. Just pull them from the web server each time. Some people do this.

In short, clearing the cache does not put a strain on the computer. It will make your bandwidth jump slightly, as deleted files are refreshed. So will going to any new web site, as any new web site will always have new files for you.

If you doubt my statement here, get Process Explorer, and watch the metrics when you clear cache once. You'll have to clean your glasses before hand though (and don't blink either), if you expect to see anything interesting. The background activity level of the computer will exceed the foreground activity of cache clearing.

Please try this experiment, and see for yourself.

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