# File lib/webby/resources/partial.rb, line 39
  def dirty?
    return _meta_data['dirty'] if _meta_data.has_key? 'dirty'

    # if the destination file does not exist, then we are dirty
    return true unless test(?e, destination)

    # if this file's mtime is larger than the destination file's
    # mtime, then we are dirty
    dirty = @mtime > ::File.mtime(destination)
    return dirty if dirty

    # if we got here, then we are not dirty
    false
  end