HTTP 1.1 issue 16: 14.26 If-None-Match

In section 14.26 "If-None-Match", the statements

   "If "*" is given and no current entity exists, then the server MAY
   perform the requested method as if the If-None-Match header field
   did not exist."

and

   "The meaning of "If-None-Match: *" is that the method MUST NOT be
   performed if the representation selected by the origin server (or
   by a cache, possibly using the Vary mechanism, see section 14.44)
   exists, and SHOULD be performed if the representation does not
   exist."

conflict on the topic of "If-None-Match: *". The former asserts that the
server MAY perform the request, the latter that it SHOULD.  I think the
MAY is correct.

Ross Patterson
VM Software Division
Sterling Software, Inc.