Ok,to start i would like to say i do not know jcak about computers(not yet anyway)so forgive me for my stupid question.
Understandable, but let it be known that there are no stupid questions, only unfamiliar curiosities.
What is a cach files.
Cache files are simply used to help preload pages (and images) of sites you visit on a regular basis, so your browser can load them from disk instead of having to kill your conn every time you want to see your favorite news site (or reviews, photo manipulations, porn...).
I heard it keeps track of every thing you do online.
Not quite. The cache handles pages and files on web sites, as well as cookies - which may store individual site preferences, and even username/passwords. This is normal behaviour if you authorise a site to store your login offline (something that many here refuse to do, since doing so is inherently unsecured).
does it keep track of things you download,like off of limewire or kazaa?
There is good news. I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geic... I mean, no, your cache does not track what you download with other programs. Those tend to have their own methods of handling their own caches, all of which can be cleared through certain procedures.
Do they do anything bad to my computer?
Given sufficient time and liberal enough parameters, they can contribute to excessive disk usage and fragmentation, both of which can slow your drives and contribute to shortening their useful lives. Having said that, no - they won't cause your PC to implode overnight. I leave THAT to Windows.
And last where do i find them and are they safe to delete.
I administer different systems, so I can give you some idea.
On Linux: /home/insert_username_here/.mozilla for Mozilla and Firefox caches
On WinXP: c:\documents and settings\insert_username_here\application data\mozilla\firefox\profiles\*8-characters*.default\cache\ for Mozilla and Firefox
c:\documents and settings\insert_username_here\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5\ (even if you've removed MSIE! :eek: )
They are absolutely safe to delete, but you might want to make sure they're not storing any passwords you may have forgotten (can't help you there, sorry).
Thanks for your help
:tux:
Absolutely, thanks for considering Linux! :cool:
