[Catalyst] serving static files

[Octavian Rasnita]

From: "Perrin Harkins" <perrin at elem.com>

> If you're serving static files and running mod_perl without a reverse
> proxy, that should be the first thing you change.  It has a very
> significant effect on performance.
>
> - Perrin

Sorry for off topicness, but please tell me, does it have a bad effect if
the files are just some files sitting in a directory, and they are served by
apache directly, with no relations with the directories that are handled by
a perl-script handler?

What I don't understand is why serving the files directly decreases the
performance of mod_perl apps, even though downloading those files has no
relation with those mod_perl apps.

Does it happen the same in case of FastCGI applications?

Do you have a recommendation for a text for learning how to use a reverse 
proxy?

Thank you.

Octavian