PROV-ISSUE-173 (TLebo): representations versus formats [Accessing and Querying Provenance]

PROV-ISSUE-173 (TLebo): representations versus formats [Accessing and Querying Provenance]

http://www.w3.org/2011/prov/track/issues/173

Raised by: Timothy Lebo
On product: Accessing and Querying Provenance

According to AWWW, a "representation" is returned when a URI is requested with HTTP GET. Content negotiation is a means to alter the _format_ of the representation returned, based on the preference of the client, the abilities of the server, and the nature of the resource. This distinction could be clearer in the following sentence in PAQ:

---
4.1 Using the provenance service API

"HTTP content negotiation mechanisms may be used to retrieve representations formats convenient for the client application."
---

could become:

"HTTP content negotiation mechanisms may be used to retrieve representations XXXX formats convenient for the client application."

where

XXXX := "using" | "in"


OR "formats" could be eliminated from the original sentence. But its presence can aid readability because "representations" is not as popular.

Regards,
Tim

Received on Wednesday, 23 November 2011 18:42:26 UTC