Re: Round 2: moving HTTP 1.0 to informational

> Thus, I'd like to see the wording about 'consensus of the IETF HTTP
> Working Group' softened if not removed. I suggest:
> 
> #  This specification reflects the approximate state of those features
> #  which are normally found in most HTTP/1.0 implementations. The
> #  specification is split into two sections. Those features of HTTP
> #  for which implementations are usually consistent are described in
> #  the main body of this document. Those features which have few
> #  implementations or inconsistent ones are listed in Appendix D.

I like that better too, except that I would not include
"the approximate state of " because it is too wishy-washy and
redundant with "normally found".

>> The URI in a POST request identifies the resource that will handle
>> the enclosed entity as an appendage.
> 
> I know this language has been there forever, but 'as an appendage'
> doesn't really correspond to what people do with POST.

I guess this is in the description of PUT.  I think that just removing
" as an appendage" is the correct change to make.

> The data sent with a POST usually corresponds to information that
> results from an HTML form. I actually can't think of any other
> application.  Are there in fact any applications that POST anything
> other than form data?

Yes, as described in the section on POST.

> I'd suggest:
> 
> # The URI in a POST request identifies the resource that will handle
> # the enclosed entity as data to be processed, e.g., values from a
> # form that has been filled out.

That would be too specific -- current applications of POST include
sending mail through a gateway, posting news through a gateway,
posting an article to a collection, and appending data to a database.
It is true that most browsers only use it for forms, but HTTP usage
is not limited to browsers.


 ...Roy T. Fielding
    Department of Information & Computer Science    (fielding@ics.uci.edu)
    University of California, Irvine, CA 92717-3425    fax:+1(714)824-4056
    http://www.ics.uci.edu/~fielding/