[WEB4LIB] RE: web cache and remote access

[Thomas Dowling]

>
> What are the implications of web caching and the information
profession?
>

One implication is that people running things at the server end need to
get serious about sending accurate HTTP caching directions (in HTTP, not
faking it in HTML) to intermediary devices and people running those
devices need to get serious about guaranteeing their caches obey those
directions.

HTTP 1.1 was designed from the ground up with the idea that between my
server and your browser there might be several caches.  Both requests
and responses can carry headers controlling cache behavior; servers can
set expiration dates and browsers can specify the oldest copy they're
willing to accept from a cache, for example.

Thomas Dowling
OhioLINK - Ohio Library and Information Network
tdowling at ohiolink.edu