Re: Server response version number

Larry> On a related issue, I'm concerned about the possibility that a
Larry> single server might 'downgrade' depending on the URL rather
Larry> than the version of the requestor: I think there are clients
Larry> that presume the version of subsequent responses based on the
Larry> version of previous responses.

I believe such servers are implicitly allowed by the definition of
"server":

  Likewise, any server may act as an origin server, proxy, gateway, or
  tunnel, switching behavior based on the nature of each request.

Imagine a proxy server that switches to tunneling behavior when
proxying for a 1.0 server, but is 1.1 otherwise.

However, the draft says this:

  Clients SHOULD remember the version number of at least the most
  recently used server

I don't think the version number of the server is actually knowable;
instead all a client can discover is the version number the server
used on the most recent request.

Tom
-- 
tromey@cygnus.com                 Member, League for Programming Freedom

Received on Monday, 21 October 1996 15:14:50 UTC