Re: [svgwg] [svg-native] What should the file extension be? (#664)

The SVG Working Group just discussed `SVG Native file extension`.

<details><summary>The full IRC log of that discussion</summary>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Topic: SVG Native file extension<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Github: https://github.com/w3c/svgwg/issues/664<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Chris: to me, file extension and MIME type are intrically connected. Most servers map extensions to media type. Different extensions same media type is do-able, but what's the point?<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> ... Given that there are servers that restrict the use of SVG (e.g., image uploads from user) because of security requirements, so a new extension &amp; type is useful.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> ... The media type is more important. File extension is just a representation of that.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Dirk: The downside of a new type/extension is that existing tools would not be able to open by default.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> ... But, we are designing a format for the future.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Myles: Implementations can be divided &amp; some don't currently support all of SVG, anyway.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> ... Browsers should render it anyway regardless of Mime type, right?<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Chris: Maybe, but it depends. Browsers do some sniffing, but won't do anything.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Dirk: Browsers may not be the main issue, since they're likely to be early adopters.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Amelia: It may also depend on what the new type is. If it's still a valid XML type, browsers may be able to handle it anyway. But desktop software is going to look at the extension.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> ... Might need education for authors: you may need to save as a different extension. Servers may need to respond based on HTTP headers.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Sairus: Also worth considering whether we want to create a limited set &amp; then expand it in the future. Would that be a different type?<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Myles: If we end up creating too many different subsets, I think we then lose any benefit from having a defined subset at all.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Sairus: So we really want this to be the defined scope &amp; then stick with that.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Dirk: Myles also mentioned the possibility of a distinction internally, e.g., a version attribute.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Chris: This is something we've dealt with before, in XML and in SVG. version attribute and profile attribute. And the end result is that it always gets ignored.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Myles: Does that mean that you think a stronger enforcement at Mime type level is necessary.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Chris: I don't know. Just pointing out the difficulties. Need strong implementer support.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Myles: One use case: for the OS, we might want to open a full SVG file in browser, a native SVG file in image preview. So we'd need a different file extension to do that.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Dirk: Are we leaning towards a decision here?<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> ... From Adobe's perspective, we'd like a clear distinction. We don't care whether it's internal (attribute) or external (extension / MIME type).<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Sairus: I think we need to think more carefully about all the use cases.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Dirk: Ok, leave the issue open for now.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Amelia: It would help to write out, in the issue, the use cases &amp; pros/cons for each.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Myles: I'm not sure whether my use case also applies to Windows.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Amelia: Yes, file associations to software are keyed on extensions. So you'd need different extensions to associate them with different viewers.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Sairus: BTW, I spoke recently with some of the Microsoft team. Trying to get them engaged in this project.<br>
&lt;AmeliaBR> Myles: Ok, I'll ping them in the GitHub thread &amp; see if we can get some input.<br>
</details>


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Received on Monday, 29 April 2019 20:56:56 UTC