Section 3.2.2

Section 3.2.2 says:

Note: Although the HTTP protocol is independent of the transport layer
protocol, the http URL only identifies resources by their TCP location,
and thus non-TCP resources MUST be identified by some other URI scheme. 

I don't think this is really true. "http:" URLs identify resources by
DNS names, and IMHO it is the presence of an A record for that DNS name
that signals that one must use TCP.  In the future, the presence of an
AAAA (IPv6) record would presumably mean to use TCP/IPv6 to access the
resource (if this isn't true, isn't someone on the IAB going to kill
us?).  Similarly, if one were to invent an RR for IPX addresses or ATM
addresses (if they haven't already), one could presumably run HTTP/SPX
or HTTP/ATM (or HTTP/X.25,..., etc.) with "http:" URLs.

In any case, I'm not sure what compelling purpose this note serves, and
rather than debate it, it might be better just to nuke it.



----------------------------------------------------
Paul J. Leach            Email: paulle@microsoft.com
Microsoft                Phone: 1-206-882-8080
1 Microsoft Way          Fax:   1-206-936-7329
Redmond, WA 98052

Received on Friday, 31 May 1996 15:42:11 UTC