One item which should be part of "so, you want to extend HTTP?"
is "don't redefine MIME headers, register HTTP headers".
Here's a registry people should work with, I believe.
Larry
--
http://www.parc.xerox.com/masinter
Forwarded message 1
I have now submitted a new IETF draft of the header registry specification.
The new draft can be found at URL:
ftp://ftp.dsv.su.se/users/jpalme/draft-ietf-drums-MHRegistry-03.txt
Major changes since version 02 (this description of changes can also
be found in HTML format at URL
http://www.dsv.su.se/~jpalme/ietf/header-registry-changes.html:
Addition in chapter 1 of the text:
This registry can contain header fields starting with "X-", even though
such header fields cannot be specified in IETF standards.
Change in chapter 2 "Headers implemented in new products" added:
The header field name registry can contain header fields from the
following sources:
- Internet standards
- RFCs which are not Internet standards
- Non-Internet standards
- Other commonly used headers fields
- Headers implemented in new products
- Sometimes used header fields whose use is discouraged.
Change in chapter 2; HTTP headings added:
The registry can contain header fields used in e-mail message headings,
MIME content headings, HTTP headings and Usenet News article headings.
Change in chapter 4, the registration template is now specified as:
4.1 Registration Template
To: mail-headers@segate.sunet.se
Subject: Registration of header field: XXX
Header field name:
Header field status (choices, see section
5.2 Header field Status below)
Applicability:
(One of COMMON, LIMITED USE or OBSOLETE)
What is the header field used for:
Who can set or modify the header field:
Protocols which use this header field:
(One or more of E-MAIL MESSAGE HEADING,
E-MAIL CONTENT HEADING, HTTP HEADING,
USENET NEWS HEADING)
Application programs which use this header field:
Encoding considerations:
Security considerations:
Interoperability considerations:
Published specification:
Person & email address to contact for further information:
Author/Change controller:
(Any other information that the author deems interesting may
be added below this line.)
The format of the published header registry is now specified in the following
way in chapter 4.3:
(1) In plain formatted ASCII text as shown in section 11.1.
(2) In HTML format as shown in section 11.2.
(3) As ASCII text with HT between fields and CRLF between lines
as shown in section 11.3.
Two new added sections:
4.4 Changes to registered headers
Minor changes to registered headers, which will not cause problems
for those who have already implemented the header, can be done by
the person or organisation who has change control for the header.
This person or organisation can also add to the register advance
notice about future changes under development.
Changes made by an revised version of an IETF standard should be
made at the same time as the publication of the revised standard.
Other changes require the same approval procedure as for registration
of new headers.
4.5 Registration of headers from Internet drafts
Headers in Internet drafts can be registered on a temporary basis,
so that the header registry can be used to find also such headers.
If the IETF draft expires, such headers must either be removed
from the registry, or changed to reflect their new status (as an
IETF standard or as a non-standard documented separately from IETF).
The appendix has been modified to show examples of the three new
publication formats. These examples can also be found at URL
http://www.dsv.su.se/~jpalme/ietf/iana-header-field-registry.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacob Palme <jpalme@dsv.su.se> (Stockholm University and KTH)
for more info see URL: http://www.dsv.su.se/~jpalme