Re: Possible use of <INSERT> - serious inquiry

>++ <insert
>++ 	type="text/html"
>++ 	data="http://www.mysite.com/path/file.html"
>++ >
>++ </insert>
>++ 
>++ If it isn't possible, wouldn't this be a worthwhile extension to the 
>++ <INSERT> capability?
>
>I do not think so.  Using the http protocol, it is the _server_ which
>gives out the information about the document type. What should
>a user agent do if the <insert> type says 'image/gif', but
>the server gives 'image/jpg'? What if the type isn't fixed in advance?
>How would you do it with content negotiation?

I think the original approach fits very well with content
negotiation. The attribute type="text/html" is indeed a content
negotiation, since the client requests a piece of data in
text/html format. If the server couldn't deliver it in the
requested format it shouldn't deliver anything.

One could even extend the proposal to allow things like
type="text/html, text/plain" requesting text in HTML or plain
format. Or consider type="image/*" (any image type) type="*/*"
(insert whatever is there).

Best regards
Rainer Klute

  Dipl.-Inform. Rainer Klute        NADS - Advertising on nets
  NADS GmbH
  Emil-Figge-Str. 80                Tel.: +49 231 9742570
D-44227 Dortmund                    Fax:  +49 231 9742571

            <http://www.nads.de/~klute/>

Received on Tuesday, 19 March 1996 12:45:33 UTC