Google was kind enough to host jQuery on a CDN (they also have prototype, mootools, dojo and a few others). While they have a fancy loader script that offers conveniences like optional minification, you can also get the script the "old fashioned way", with something like this:
http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.2.6/jquery.min.js
In truth jQuery just isn't that big (about 15kb) so this isn't really useful for saving bandwidth - it's more useful for improving first-time user usability by reducing their wait time by maximizing simultaneous downloads. Most modern browsers are limited to two connections to a given server, and so spreading the load across many servers is a Good Thing. I'm not sure if this limit has a name, or even an RFC. I do know that the limitation is designed to prevent unintentional DOS attacks.
While I don't see anything particularly nefarious about this, I would like to point out that Google and the Mozilla Foundation (who employ John Resig, author of jQuery) are extraordinarily friendly, and I'm glad Google is performing this service.
http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.2.6/jquery.min.js
In truth jQuery just isn't that big (about 15kb) so this isn't really useful for saving bandwidth - it's more useful for improving first-time user usability by reducing their wait time by maximizing simultaneous downloads. Most modern browsers are limited to two connections to a given server, and so spreading the load across many servers is a Good Thing. I'm not sure if this limit has a name, or even an RFC. I do know that the limitation is designed to prevent unintentional DOS attacks.
While I don't see anything particularly nefarious about this, I would like to point out that Google and the Mozilla Foundation (who employ John Resig, author of jQuery) are extraordinarily friendly, and I'm glad Google is performing this service.
No comments:
Post a Comment