- From: Roy T. Fielding <fielding@apache.org>
- Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2002 15:28:22 -0700
- To: "Sean B. Palmer" <sean@mysterylights.com>
- Cc: "Norman Walsh" <Norman.Walsh@Sun.COM>, <www-tag@w3.org>
> Whether it's a document or not, you can refer to it by URI. The question > is > whether the solid object sitting in your hotel room is directly > identifyable using an HTTP URI. > Nothing is directly identifiable using an "http" URI. HTTP only provides an indirect interface to resources, even for simple things like files. The notion that we can arbitrarily restrict the nature of what is behind the interface to some preconceived idea of an implementation is simply, and provably, incorrect. HTTP only limits the interaction you can have via an identifier, not the nature of what is being identified. I can assign an "http" URI for my girlfriend, but that doesn't mean I want to limit my interactions with her to HTTP. Assignment of an identifier does not in any way imply accessibility via some protocol -- it only defines the naming authority and an identifier that is significant to that naming authority. And no, I don't interact with my girlfriend via HTTP. She only accepts requests via SMTP, tel, and a few other less standardized access mechanisms. ....Roy
Received on Thursday, 18 April 2002 19:03:48 UTC