Re: [i81] Content Negotiation for media types

Larry Masinter wrote:
> ...
> The point about changing the 406 requirement so that it matches reality
> should also be added to the issue.
> ...

Looking at "Accept"...:

"If no Accept header field is present, then it is assumed that the 
client accepts all media types. If an Accept header field is present, 
and if the server cannot send a response which is acceptable according 
to the combined Accept field value, then the server SHOULD send a 406 
(not acceptable) response." -- 
<http://greenbytes.de/tech/webdav/rfc2616.html#rfc.section.14.1.p.8>

and "406"...:

"Note: HTTP/1.1 servers are allowed to return responses which are not 
acceptable according to the accept headers sent in the request. In some 
cases, this may even be preferable to sending a 406 response. User 
agents are encouraged to inspect the headers of an incoming response to 
determine if it is acceptable." -- 
<http://greenbytes.de/tech/webdav/rfc2616.html#rfc.section.10.4.7.p.2>

...it seems that the spec needs to be clarified anyway: the description 
of "Accept" says "SHOULD send 406", but the description of 406 makes it 
sound like something OPTIONAL.

I think the latter is closer to reality...

BR, Julian

Received on Sunday, 4 November 2007 14:00:43 UTC