Re: Multi-server HTTP

On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 6:53 PM, David Morris <dwm@xpasc.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Tue, 10 Nov 2009, Anthony Bryan wrote:
>
>> On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 5:54 PM, Micah Cowan <micah@cowan.name> wrote:
>>>
>>> sec 2, para 2:
>>>
>>>   Metalink servers are HTTP servers that use the Link header
>>>   [draft-nottingham-http-link-header] to present a list of mirrors of a
>>>   resource to a client.  They MUST provide checksums of files via
>>>   Instance Digests in HTTP [RFC3230], whether requested or not."
>>>
>>> To me, this implies that a server either is, or is not, a "Metalink
>>> server", and behaves as required for Metalink servers for any and all
>>> resources that it provides. I expect that in practice, a given server
>>> will usually be a "Metalink server" with respect to certain specific
>>> resources, and will fail to meet the requirements of a Metalink server
>>> with respect to other resources that are served.
>>
>> Exactly, thanks. Is this better?
>>
>> "Metalink servers are HTTP servers that use the Link header to present
>> a list of mirrors of certain specific resources to a client. They MUST
>> provide checksums of certain specific files via Instance Digests in
>> HTTP, whether requested or not. That is, Metalink servers are not
>> required to provide mirrors and checksums for all files, only certain
>> specific files."
>
> Uh ... no ... "certain specific ..." is not a clear phrase as it is very
> generic and and no correlation with the notion of a multi-server, etc.
>
> I think you want to define a metalink resource ... for example:
>
>  "Metalink resources include a Link header
>  [draft-nottingham-http-link-header] to present a list of mirrors of
>  in the response to a client request for the resource. A resource
>  checksums via Instance Digests in HTTP [RFC3230] must be included.
>
>  Metalink servers are HTTP servers with one or more Metalink
>  resources."

Thanks, David. Here's what I've changed it to:

"Metalink resources include a Link header
[draft-nottingham-http-link-header] to present a list of mirrors in
the response to a client request for the resource. The checksum of a
resource must be included via Instance Digests in HTTP [RFC3230].

Metalink servers are HTTP servers with one or more Metalink resources."

-- 
(( Anthony Bryan ... Metalink [ http://www.metalinker.org ]
  )) Easier, More Reliable, Self Healing Downloads

Received on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 22:48:46 UTC