[OSM-newbies] Downloading only updated tiles

[GeoJ]

Andy Allan wrote:
> You can use the ETag HTTP header from the tiles to see if they have
> been changed, so long as your application keeps track of them. 

Is the ETag mechanism better that the "LastModified" mechanism?

IMHO for custom applications/scripts maintaining a etag database is very 
complicated therefore it is easier to just redownload a tile instead of 
dealing with the ETags...

BTW: The tiles at home tiles server use the LastModified header and they 
support the IfModifiedSince header...

GeoJ