Gmail Technical Rant

[sidki3003]

(Feb. 24, 2009 07:07 PM)Graycode Wrote:  Can a Proxo header filter safely provide "Connection: Close" back to the browser for every 204 response that doesn't also have a "Content-Length: 0" header? That should keep the browser from trying to re-use its connection to Proxo, thereby circumventing the problem. If the browser then initiates closure, Proxo would probably also stop waiting for more (that will never arrive) from the 204.

I think getting the matching tests right - RESP 204 and Content-Length != 0 - should be no problem. However, there are a few headers that can't be modified, and - i *think* "Connection" is somewhere in between. I did my tests years ago, so i'm not sure anymore, but if true, it would mean that even Scott's own "Connection: Close all connections (In+Out)" filter is 50% defunct, after introducing pipelining support in 2002.

Anyway, i'll re-check this. Also, i'll test another idea (redirecting 204s). I'll probably post a follow-up later.

Quote:I'm guessing you wouldn't encounter the problem with this other URL used by Gmail:

Yep -- Zero problem there!