If you
test it in
Tomcat, you will know answer.
c:import are used to include the contents of a file dynamically, means after Container evaluate.
In the header.jsp, if you use <c:import url=http://www.wickedlysmart.com/skyler/horse.html"/>
The Container evaluate the horse.html (no translation and compilation done here because it is not horse.jsp ), it return the code fragment of the horse.htm (because html is just a bunch of
String) to the c:import line (that is <image .... >)
[Remember : Container is not web browser it will not render html code]
So the final response return to the client is an html page with the <image> tag, the browser render it and send another request for the image.
In the header.jsp, if you use <c:import url=http://www.wickedlysmart.com/skyler/horse.gif"/>
The Container evaluate the horse.gif, return the horse.gif to the c:import line ( that is a bunch of text which
represent the image )
So the final response return to the client is an html page without the <image> tag , that bunch of text is just a plain text shown by the web browser.
