Cache
From WWR
Contents |
Description
A browser cache is a collection of web page copies stored on a computer's hard disk or in its random-access memory (RAM). Browsers accumulate these copies as a user browses the web. When you click a link or type a URL to fetch a particular web page for which the cache already contains a copy, the browser compares the cached copy to the original. If there have been no changes that the browser recognizes, the browser uses the cached copy rather than refetching the original, saving processing and download time.
There are times when the browser does not recognize legitimate changes. In such instances it is necessary to reload or refresh the page, and sometimes completely clear the cache.
Huh?
The bottom line is that whenever something doesn't seem to be working on this site, the first step in problem solving is to refresh your browser. That will insure you have the most recent .css stylesheets (the files that makes the site look like it does) and the most recent .js javascript files (the files that make portions of the site act like they do i.e. the chat auto-refresh).
You should definitely be familiar with how to refresh your browser. It's something experienced web-surfers do often when a webpage does not look like how they expected it to.
How to refresh, reload or clear a browser cache
(Please add information for browsers that are not listed here.)
Firefox on Macintosh
Reload
- Click the "Reload" button or Command+R, or
- Hold down the "option" key and click the "Reload" button or Command+Shift+R
Clear the cache
- From the Firefox menu, select "Preferences..."
- Click the "Privacy" tab
- Click the "Clear Cache Now" button
Safari on Macintosh
Note: Safari does not render WWR webpages properly.'
Reload
- Click the "Reload" button or Command+R, or
- Hold down the "option" key and click the "Reload" button or Command+Shift+R
Clear the cache
- From the Safari menu, select "Empty Cache..."
- In the next window that opens, click "Empty".
Internet Explorer on Macintosh
Refresh
- Click the "Refresh" button at the top of the browser window, or F5 on the keyboard, or
- Hold down the Control key and Click the "Refresh" button at the top of the browser window, or F5 on the keyboard
Clear the cache
- From the Explorer menu, select "Preferences..."
- From the menu on the left in the Web Browser section, click "Advanced"
- Under the Cache section, click "Empty Now".
- It is sometimes necessary to quit and re-launch Explorer to completely clear the cache.
Firefox on Windows
- Hold down the CTRL key and press F5 on the keyboard
