Re: Content negotiation example needed.

My prefence is not to rely totally upon the HTTP content negotiation
when users can choose from multiple languages/content types.  Even
when the server supports the content negotiation and the document is
provided in a way that can make use of the content negotiation
mechanism, it would be better to have links pointing to different
versions of the file.  The reasons I prefer this are:

1. As far as I know, there are not too many people who have set their
   browsers to make use of this mechanism.

2. Browsers used in an shared environment may not be configured in a
   way that certain user would do.

In both cases, users would have no idea if the file is available in
different language if there were no links to other versions included
in the page.

If browsers have easier-to-use interface to configure the language
preferences, the case 1 above can be easily resolved, though.

    Cheers,
Max

At Tue, 14 Sep 1999 13:52:13 -0400,
Chuck Letourneau <cpl@starlingweb.com> wrote:
> 
> "1) Instead of including links such as "Here is the French version of this
> document", use content negotiation so that the French version is served to
> clients requesting French versions of documents."
> 
> Ok... after reading all the responses and viewing the examples, I can still
> barely imagine that this technique is a "Page Author" responsibility unless
> it could be  interpreted to mean:
> 
> [start proposed wording]
> If you create more than one language version or format of a page:
> a) ensure that your Web server supports content negotiation, then 
> b) depending on the requirements of your server, include the appropriate
> markup or name the various files appropriately.  
> See your server's documentation or contact your ISP for further help.
> [end proposed wording]
> 
> Some of the example files I looked at modify the file name like this:
>  .../filename.html.xx (where xx= nl, en, fr, de, sv, ja, etc.), and some
> use <HTML lang="xx"> while some don't.  
> 
> This issue reminds me that there was once a suggestion that the
> Guidelines/Techniques documents have a separate section for HTTP/Server
> Accessibility checkpoints.
> 
> Comments?
> 
> Regards,
> Chuck
> 
> 
> 
> At 12/09/99 02:47 PM , Al Gilman wrote:
> >At 11:45 AM 9/12/99 -0400, Chuck Letourneau wrote:
> >>Thanks to everybody who responded to my request for information about
> >>content negotiation.  I am now going to read through it carefully
> >>(including the external references provided) and try to synthesize
> >>something simple for the curriculum.  I will post my result to the list for
> >>your consideration.
> >>
> >>Regards,
> >>Chuck Letourneau
> >>
> >
> >A good starting point is Koen Holtzman's page on the subject at
> >
> > Transparent Content Negotiation in HTTP home page
> > http://www.gewis.win.tue.nl/~koen/conneg/
> >
> >Which I found with the aid of the search:
> >
> >
> >http://www.infind.com/infind/infind.exe?query=%22content+negotiation%22&time=7
> >
> 
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Received on Sunday, 19 September 1999 04:43:05 UTC