Inconsistency in HTML 4.01 spec?

Dear Sirs,

I would like to draw your attention to the HTML 4.01 specification, section
17.13.3 Processing form data. In that section a 4-step procedure is
described. The description of step 3 states that `The form data set is then
encoded according to the content type specified by the enctype attribute of
the FORM element.´ However, step 4 states that `... If the method is "get"
and the action is an HTTP URI, the user agent takes the value of action,
appends a `?' to it, then appends the form data set, encoded using the
"application/x-www-form-urlencoded" content type. ...´

To me, this seems inconsistent. Or have I misunderstood something?

In the case that you should agree (at least partially) with my view as
expressed above, I would like to propose to alter the descriptions of steps
3 and 4 as follows: The description of step 3 should read as follows: 

`If the method is "get", the form data set is then encoded according to the
"application/x-www-form-urlencoded" content type. If the method is "post",
the form data set is encoded according to the content type specified by the
enctype attribute of the FORM element.´

In the first bullet of the description of step 4, the phrase `the form data
set, encoded using the "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" content type´
should be replaced by `the encoded form data set´.

Sincerely yours,

Øyvind Bolme Fredriksen
Software Innovation ASA
P.O.Box 100 Kokstad
N-5863  BERGEN  
NORWAY
Tel. (+47) 55 98 74 20
Fax (+47) 55 98 74 40

Received on Friday, 26 January 2001 12:24:42 UTC