cache

The “cache” (pronounced as /cash/), is a technical term for the temporary storage of online files. A layman’s example would be this: If you search for a certain photo in Google, you will sometimes end up with an error page, saying that the photo does not exist. This means that the photo was already deleted in the main website server. Now you ask, “how come I was able to take a glimpse of the picture in thumbnail (small versions of the photo)?” That is because Google, and other search engines, take a “snapshot” at your website for faster access the next time you visit the site.

With this feature, Google has been accused of violating certain copyrights. The New York Times has a “members only” page but through Google’s cache, some non-members were able to infiltrate the paid section of the online broadsheet.

Photo taken from http://ralphlosey.wordpress.com