Re: Review of new HTTPbis text for 303 See Other

On 12 Jul 2009, at 00:47, Alan Ruttenberg wrote:
>>>>  A 303 response to a GET request indicates that the server does
>>>>  not have a transferable representation
>
> What does "transferable" add to representation?
> Would it be possible for someone to give an example of an
> *un*transferable representation?

I think the word "transferable" just adds a bit of wiggle room that  
allows the server not to send the representation even if it has one.  
An example might be a client that is not authorized to view the  
resource, and the server 303-redirects it to a preview of the  
resource. Another example might be a representation that is too large  
for a mobile client on a slow connection. There might be many reasons  
why a server, even though it technically speaking has a  
representation, would prefer to redirect a client to some other  
resource instead.

(I didn't write Roy's text and am obviously just guessing.)

Richard






> Thanks,
>
> -Alan
>
>
>>>> of the requested resource
>>>>  and is instead redirecting the client to some other resource
>>>>  for further information.
>>>>
>>>> then I think the objection is handled without watering down
>>>> the purpose of using the status code on a GET.
>>>>
>>>> ....Roy
>>>
>>> Excellent! The rewording you give above would be fine with me - I
>>> would be satisfied if HTTPbis said this, or something equivalent.
>>> (because then the choice to yield a 303 can be attributed to the
>>> server, and would not necessarily reflect on the nature of the
>>> resource - "the server does not have" vs. "the resource does not
>>> have".)
>>
>> Hmm, then I am puzzled. Does 303 redirection really imply that the  
>> server
>> **does not have** a transferable representation? Surely 303  
>> redirection is
>> used under other circumstances than this, circumstances which have  
>> nothing
>> whatever to do with http-range-14 and were being used before the
>> http-range-14 issue was even raised? No?
>>
>> Pat
>>
>>>
>>> Best
>>> Jonathan
>>>
>>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>

Received on Monday, 13 July 2009 15:32:43 UTC