Sense and insanity of using a cache

[Wouter Verhelst]

Hi,

I was wondering why libnl enforces the use of a cache; as we are talking
to the local kernel, I would guess that any CPU cycles we spare by not
having to ask the kernel something would be lost again by the mere fact
that there's now a cache to manage.

Am I missing something? More importantly, if speedups is indeed why the
cache exists, did anyone actually do any comparisons to see whether it
does, indeed, cause the system to be faster?

Thanks,

-- 
The biometric identification system at the gates of the CIA headquarters
works because there's a guard with a large gun making sure no one is
trying to fool the system.
  http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/01/biometrics.html