Re: TPE Editorial Proposal to Remove Another Hard Dependency on the Compliance Specification

On Mar 6, 2014, at 10:06 AM, Jack Hobaugh wrote:

> [JLH: Respectfully, I agree that if a compliance regime has a conflicting definition of tracking

That is not a relevant concern.  No compliance spec can redefine what
has already been defined by the protocol.  It can fail to implement the
protocol, but not redefine it.

> , it does not change the meaning of the DNT signal or the definition of tracking in the TPE and I agree that the compliance regime will specify how sites respond and also the meaning of those responses.  That is exactly the flexibility that I am requesting through the editorial addition of a TSV “R” value that refers the user to the compliance regime being used by the server.  I am specifically asking for an editorial change to the syntax in adding a TSV value of “R” to the set of current TSV values.  Again, this editorial change does not affect the TPE definition of "tracking" nor does it affect the meaning of the DNT signal.]

What you are requesting is the ability to not respond in a meaningful way
to the user.  The WG has already made clear that a meaningful response is
necessary (in the form of a TSR or header field) in order for the server
to implement the protocol.  Introducing a new response that effectively
says nothing is therefore not an editorial change.

> (B) If a site posts a link to a compliance regime at the well-known resource, then this indicates that a site follows this compliance regime and adheres to it.
>  
> [JLH: I agree and the “R” TSV value alerts the user to look to that link.  It [R]efers the user to that compliance link.]

The existing value of "T" is already sufficient to cover this use case.
It says that the server *might* be tracking as defined by TPE and
that compliance (or not) to the user's expressed preference is defined
by the combination of the identified compliance regime(s) and the
accompanied qualifier values as defined by that regime(s).

> [JLH: The “R” TSV value is only redundant if the server adopts the W3C TCS because the definition of "tracking" will be the same definition in both the TPE and the TCS as the "tracking" definition plus other definitions in the TPE were "ported" from the TCS into the TPE.   But in cases where the server adopts a non-W3C compliance regime, the "R" value is not redundant as it provides a signal to the user to refer to the compliance link for how the server will treat the DNT signal.  This editorial change proposal is within the spirit of Issue-136, removing dependencies on the TCS.  If the server can only respond with a "T," which is tied to a definition from the TCS, then the server is effectively forced to implement at least part of the TCS and again, that may conflict with the non-W3C compliance regime in place on the server.  An "R" value permits the TPE and TCS to be completely uncoupled and provides the possibility for a sever to comply with both the TPE and a non-W3C compliance regime.]

The definition of tracking is in TPE.  Where it came from is irrelevant,
particularly given that the chosen definition was specifically proposed
to be within TPE and never actually appeared in TCS before that.
It was not "ported" from any other document, though that too is irrelevant
to a WG decision. It is part of the protocol.

In short, this is issue-5 and it is closed.  If you don't like it, new
information must be provided (that was not considered in the discussion
leading to the decision on issue-5) if you would like the chairs to
consider reopening it.  Failing that, the choice is to either implement
the protocol as defined or don't claim to be conformant.


Cheers,

Roy T. Fielding                     <http://roy.gbiv.com/>
Senior Principal Scientist, Adobe   <http://www.adobe.com/>