- From: Nir Dagan <nir@nirdagan.com>
- Date: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 09:27:36 -0400
- To: Masafumi NAKANE <max@wide.ad.jp>, cpl@starlingweb.com
- Cc: asgilman@iamdigex.net, w3c-wai-gl@w3.org, max@wide.ad.jp
I agree. One should use both content negotiation and have links to alternative versions. there are several other reasons: There are clients who should read all versions. Namely indexing robots. In addition, returning 406 messages is problematic since IE5 repaces the message with its own "friendly message" that says that the server could not preform the request, without listing alternatives, leaving the user in a dead end. It is better to return an unacceptable response and let the user choose whether he wants to read it, to follow a link to an alternative or not read anything. Regards, Nir. At 05:24 PM 9/19/99 +0900, Masafumi NAKANE wrote: >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&tim e=7 >> > >> >> ---- >> Starling Access Services >> "Access A World Of Possibility" >> e-mail: info@starlingweb.com >> URL: http://www.starlingweb.com >> Phone: 613-820-2272 FAX: 613-820-6983 >> > =================================== Nir Dagan Assistant Professor of Economics Brown University Providence, RI USA http://www.nirdagan.com mailto:nir@nirdagan.com tel:+1-401-863-2145
Received on Sunday, 19 September 1999 09:26:33 UTC