NO on 'user agent' and 'version': use Features instead

Lest we repeat the situation where MS IE originally shipped
with a user-settable 'user agent' field, so that you could
say "Mozilla (compatible)" and get Netscape pages sent to
Microsoft browsers, let is be more careful to separate out
the 'features' (capabilities, preferences and characteristics)
of the recipients of dynamic content from the user agent
identity and version.

I suggest that DOM *not* make available the user agent name
and version, but instead use exactly what is being proposed
for HTTP features: it's a space of client features which can
be registered, defined, or even specified as URLs.

See internet drafts

   draft-ietf-http-feature-reg-NN.txt

(I think NN = 00, but I'm offline and can't check)
and

   draft-ietf-http-negotiation-NN.txt

(I think NN = 01)

as just one way that can use features. DOM is another.

Larry (listening to Håkon Lie presenting DOM at W3C Advisory
Committee).
-- 
http://www.parc.xerox.com/masinter

Received on Wednesday, 18 June 1997 04:55:32 UTC