Re: Problem with mail URLs - was Re: Second round...

> 
> I have a concern I'd like to air.  Actually, it's more of a nagging feeling of
> unease than a concern.  But here goes...
> 
> There is a question in my mind regarding the purpose to which we would like to
> put URLs.  The crux of this question is that mailto: and mailserver: do not, I
> believe, describe means which can be used to retrieve network resources.  

I view URLs as just that: a locator system (global naming system) of
resources.  That doesn't mean that they are all resources that return
data immediately as their only function.

If you use 'access' instead of 'retrieve', I think you might see more
possibilities.  Also, I could easily see how a client could monitor
received email and show a queue of received items to retrive.
(Yes, that implies a client/helper with pop3/imap builtin, which
I wish I had.)

> I have always understood a URL to be composed of three important parts:
> 
> 	- How we will retrieve the stated resource  -- (http, gopher, etc.)
> 	- From where we will retrieve a resource -- (host:port)
> 	- What resource we will retrieve -- (opaque URL specific info)
> 
> 
> Rather than a prescription which can be used to retrieve network accessible
> resources, these URLs provide a means of initiating a process, which can,
> perhaps, initiate the retrieval of a network accessible resource -- through a
> channel external to the browser, but is not necessarily required to.  We seem
> to already have a method of initiating processes such as these, the CGI API, no?
> 
> Now, is it just me or does this grate on others as well?  I don't think that we
> really understand what we did when we defined the mailto: URL, and guess I am
> concerned how this will affect our understanding and the ultimate deployment of
> URNs. 
> 
> 
> Comments?
> 
> 		</rr>
> 


-- 
Stephen D. Williams    25Feb1965 VW,OH      sdw@lig.net http://www.lig.net/sdw
Senior Consultant      510.503.9227 CA Page 513.496.5223 OH Page BA Aug94-Dec95
OO R&D AI:NN/ES crypto     By Buggy: 2464 Rosina Dr., Miamisburg, OH 45342-6430
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Pres.: Concinnous Consulting,Inc.;SDW Systems;Local Internet Gateway Co.29Nov94

Received on Wednesday, 11 January 1995 01:46:24 UTC