Topic: caching web pages

[thegallery]

I assume most here are not big fans of IE, but it's still my browser of choice.

However, I don't understand the caching. Maybe it is just my slow computer, but when I'm, say, surfing Amazon, and I want to go back a 1 or 2, or 5 or 6 pages, why does it take some time to recognize the page and reload it. It is not as slow as first surfing to the page, but why doesn't my computer just remember the last 5 or 10 pages I surfed and instantly load them? What is the delay.

I know pages are dynamically created and I assume the browsers are checking to see if something is different. But there has to be a way the system can save at least your last 10 pages and make the instantly aailable?

Imagine if you opened each page in a New Window. Not very convneint I'm sure, and sucks up some memory, but at least then each page is instantly available. I want the same effect during normal surfing.

I have tried all the settings I can think of. Any recommendations? and any 3rd party programs that will cache like I want? Tks

[Simon]

What size have you got your cache set at?  When I used IE, and now with Mozilla, I find 50Mb a reasonable size.  Also, do you have the box ticked in the cache settings to Automatic?  Mine looks like this:-



I know you said IE is your browser of choice, but I have to ask, have you tried any of the alternatives?  You could be pleasantly surprised.

[thegallery]

Hey Simon

Yes, I have the cache settings on "automatic", but I had the cache size set at 600MB !

Things are definitely faster now I've reduced it, but still far from perfect. I've done some investigating and have found no way to surf instantly to the cached pages.

I tried a program called History Collector that is meant to cache rendered pages, but every time I went back to a page IE popped up a security issue that I could not disable. I had to click and 'allow' it for every page. Plus, the program only worked if you put us a side bar, it did not work with the actual Back/Forward buttons and shortcuts in IE.

I could switch to another browser, but I have some work issues that force me to stay with IE. And for the most part, I'm happy with IE anyway.

Maxthon looks like a great alternative, because it is based on IE and uses tabbed browsing, which allows instant page access. But I can't bare to live without one great add-in function for searching my favorite sites from the address bar,  and I can't use it with Maxthon. They have a version of the same function, but I'm too lazy to set it all up...

Lastly, I tried the Beta IE 7, which looks very promising. But it caused my email client to stop working, so I had to uninstall. IE 7 will have Tabbed browsing, but it is far from prime-time at the moment.

I think Maxthon will be my best bet for now, though it will take some getting used to. But the program offers a lot of new functionality worth exploring, it's based on IE which I need, and it's free  

I just with this was a simple answer to work seamlessly with IE. Again, all it has to do is emulate opening say 10 pages in a New Window, without actually opening them in new windows. I can't imagine it should be that hard to do.


Thanks for the advice on the Cache. I'm going to try and reduce the size even further to see if that is any help.

[Simon]

If you have the cache set too large, logically, it would take the browser longer to search through it to rebuild the page, much as a stuffed full hard drive takes longer to launch a program then a half empty one.  I think you have to experiment to strike the balance with the IE cache, but I think 50Mb is about right.  You might find this article useful:-

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/using/howto/customizing/clearcache.mspx

You may also want to consider one of the 'alternative' browsers which attach themselves to IE, such as Avant Browser.  
We take the pi** out of Clive for using it, as it's basically an add on to IE, rather than an indivudual browser as such, but it might suit your needs, as it still uses the IE engine, so may well be compatible with your other issues.