File Protocol Standard Syntax

Could anyone help straighten me out on file.

As I read the specs, file URL have the form
        file://[hostname]/pathname
which for the local host, simply degenerates to
        file:///pathname
Lately, there seems to be common acceptance of
        file:/pathname
as well.  I.E. and Netscape 3.X and 4.X browsers also support
        file://pathname
The W3C library limits its support to
        file:///pathname
and
        file:/pathname
but not
        file://pathname

And on Windows, when the drive designator is included, there seems to be
two accepted usage:
        file:///c:/pathname
and
        file:///c|/pathname
in either browsers.  The W3C library limits itself to only the former.

Anybody care to shed to light...  Thanks.

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