(unknown charset) Re: Multi-server HTTP

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009, Anthony Bryan wrote:

> On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 5:54 PM, Micah Cowan <micah@cowan.name> wrote:
>>
>> sec 2, para 2:
>>
>>   Metalink servers are HTTP servers that use the Link header
>>   [draft-nottingham-http-link-header] to present a list of mirrors of a
>>   resource to a client.  They MUST provide checksums of files via
>>   Instance Digests in HTTP [RFC3230], whether requested or not."
>>
>> To me, this implies that a server either is, or is not, a "Metalink
>> server", and behaves as required for Metalink servers for any and all
>> resources that it provides. I expect that in practice, a given server
>> will usually be a "Metalink server" with respect to certain specific
>> resources, and will fail to meet the requirements of a Metalink server
>> with respect to other resources that are served.
>
> Exactly, thanks. Is this better?
>
> "Metalink servers are HTTP servers that use the Link header to present
> a list of mirrors of certain specific resources to a client. They MUST
> provide checksums of certain specific files via Instance Digests in
> HTTP, whether requested or not. That is, Metalink servers are not
> required to provide mirrors and checksums for all files, only certain
> specific files."

Uh ... no ... "certain specific ..." is not a clear phrase as it is very 
generic and and no correlation with the notion of a multi-server, etc.

I think you want to define a metalink resource ... for example:

  "Metalink resources include a Link header
   [draft-nottingham-http-link-header] to present a list of mirrors of
   in the response to a client request for the resource. A resource
   checksums via Instance Digests in HTTP [RFC3230] must be included.

   Metalink servers are HTTP servers with one or more Metalink
   resources."