Accept: field (was Re: Server Hacking)

Roger Gonzalez writes:-

>Can we clarify in the spec what "Accept" is used for?  I'm of the
>opinion that if all you do with something is save it to disk, then
>you shouldn't say you accept it.  -Anything- can just be shoved to
>disk.  "Accept: */*" conveys absolutely no useful information, whereas
>if we knew that "image/gif" was accepted but "image/jpeg" wasn't, the
>information provider could tailor the returned resource accordingly.
>

Another part of the definition of Accept: is that the MIME types
accepted by registered client helpers should be listed.

We have client helpers that can accept vector graphics. If they are
not present the server can send a GIF.

The Accept: field is currently useless in most browsers because it
does not specify the formats which can be used.

A good definition would be:-

  The native presentable formats of the browser

  The registered formats of helpers

Preference information can be added for format negotiation purposes.
Much could be expressed by a simple linear ordering -- list what
you prefer first.

b.

Dr Brian R Gaines               Knowledge Science Institute
                                University of Calgary
gaines@cpsc.ucalgary.ca         Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
403-220-5901  Fax:403-284-4707  http://ksi.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/KSI

Received on Monday, 16 October 1995 07:54:38 UTC