Javascript_include_tag -- time stamp

Rails
1

Using, for example,

<%= javascript_include_tag ‘prototype’ %>

results in

I take it the number 1164912447 is the timestamp of the file (in seconds
since the epoch)

Isn’t it redundant to include this information? Isn’t part of the HTTP
protocol to check whether the client already has an up-to-date version
of the file requested?

In other words, why doesn’t

<%= javascript_include_tag ‘prototype’ %>

just produce

without the timestamp?

Stephan

2

since the epoch)

without the timestamp?

Because not all browsers pay attention to that… or they decide to
cache
it for X hours/days on their own and don’t even bother to check. Adding
the ?123123 forces the browser to try again.

-philip

3

Because not all browsers pay attention to that…

Pay attention to what? You mean there are browsers that cache for “too
long”?

Which browsers are the ones you are referring to?

Adding the ?123123 forces the browser to try again.

You mean they will reload always?

Stephan

4

Stephan W. wrote:

Which browsers are the ones you are referring to?
In my experience,
some times IE cached too much, and annoyed me when I was developing
pages.