I should include a clarification on this topic, it is quite confusing for the un-initiated.
Some grammar:
'Directive include' means < %@ include page="pageName" >
'Action include' means < jsp:include page="pageName" flush="true" >
When the directive include is used, this is a 'static' inclusion, that can be either static * or * dynamic content. That is: the included file can also be a JSP. But I consider the directive include to be 'static' in nature, because it is done once only... at JSP compile time.
When the action include is used, this is a dynamic inclusion in all senses of that
word. The included file can again be static or dynamic... but including a static file with this tag would be a waste of processor cycles... because every single request for the JSP will result in the included file being 're-included'... so if the included file is dynamic (ie: it's a JSP), the content is not only dynamic, but the inclusion *of that file* is also dynamic.
Hope that assists people. I was reading iPlanet App Server docs and they get things just *wrong*. Or else they are not clear on specifying what they mean be 'static' and 'dynamic' (are they talking about when it's included, or the resource included?).
Summary:
Directive - inclusion static, content static or dynamic
Action - inclusion dynamic, content static or dynamic
p.s. - iPlanet sucks, because iAS SP2 doesn't suport the <jsp:param /> tags inside of <jsp:include /> !!! What is the point of using jsp:include then?? Argh.