- From: Mark Nottingham <mnot@mnot.net>
- Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 09:41:44 +1100
- To: William A. Rowe Jr. <wrowe@rowe-clan.net>
- Cc: ietf-http-wg@w3.org
That's exactly backwards from how we have always used the terms in HTTP - 1945: > client > > An application program that establishes connections for the > purpose of sending requests. > > user agent > > The client which initiates a request. These are often browsers, > editors, spiders (web-traversing robots), or other end user > tools. 2068: > client > A program that establishes connections for the purpose of sending > requests. > > user agent > The client which initiates a request. These are often browsers, > editors, spiders (web-traversing robots), or other end user tools. 2616: > client > A program that establishes connections for the purpose of sending > requests. > > user agent > The client which initiates a request. These are often browsers, > editors, spiders (web-traversing robots), or other end user tools. On 09/12/2011, at 9:27 AM, William A. Rowe Jr. wrote: > On 12/8/2011 12:33 PM, Karl Dubost wrote: >> >> Le 8 déc. 2011 à 14:55, Larry Masinter a écrit : >>> I think Karl's rewording is worse. The point I really wanted to make was that documents that follow HTTP terminology often make the mistake of assuming a "user agent" has a "user". >> >> Ahah! I didn't have the initial context. :) >> >>> But if "client" means the same thing as "user agent", then why have a separate term? >> >> >> I would rather prefer client everywhere too. >> >> What wikipedia says: >> >> In computing, a user agent is a client application >> implementing a network protocol used in communications >> within a client–server distributed computing system. >> — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent > > We just had this discussion at the ASF httpd project. > > In a proxy chain, each proxy server is a user agent itself reaching > out to the next server in the chain. It is possible to describe > these each as clients, but when you start looking at end-to-end > definitions, "client" suggests the originating user agent (app, or > browser, or service). > > So UA and client do have distinct connotations. > -- Mark Nottingham http://www.mnot.net/
Received on Thursday, 8 December 2011 22:42:13 UTC