- From: Jeffrey Mogul <mogul@pa.dec.com>
- Date: Wed, 11 Nov 98 14:42:05 PST
- To: Jim Gettys <jg@pa.dec.com>
- Cc: http-wg@hplb.hpl.hp.com
> In section 13.3.3 "Weak and Strong Validators", the statements
>
> "The weak comparison function MAY be used for simple
> (non-subrange) GET requests. The strong comparison function MUST
> be used in all other cases."
>
> and
>
> "A cache or origin server receiving a conditional request, other
> than a full-body GET request, MUST use the strong comparison
> function to evaluate the condition."
>
> state the same requirement.
It isn't quite the same thing. One states requirements on the
client, and the other on origin servers or proxies. It is a bit
confusing, and may be redundant.
Jeff, what is the right thing to do here?
It may be a bit confusing, but it's not really redundant. The
problem is the passive voice (i.e., lack of explicit subject).
One might change the first statement to read:
Clients MAY use the weak comparison function for simple
(non-subrange) GET requests. They MUST use the strong
comparison in all other cases.
However, on reflection, it's a little more complicated than
this. Since the comparison is normally done at the server,
what we really want to do is to prevent the client from
issuing a request that cannot be properly evaluated.
So, how about moving this paragraph up before the
previous one (begins with "The only function"), and changing
it to read:
Clients MAY issue simple (non-subrange) GET requests
with either weak validators or strong validators.
Clients MUST NOT use weak validators in other forms
of request.
Which makes it basically a formal statement of the informal
description in the next previous paragraph.
-Jeff
Received on Wednesday, 11 November 1998 14:44:56 UTC