To: uri@bunyip.com
In-Reply-To: moore@cs.utk.edu's message of Fri, 4 Jun 1993 08:30:39 -0700 <93Jun4.083049pdt.2743@golden.parc.xerox.com>
Subject: Re: URLs and types: concentrate on FTP
From: Larry Masinter <masinter@parc.xerox.com>
Message-Id: <93Jun4.152449pdt.2741@golden.parc.xerox.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1993 15:24:44 PDT
> It also makes it very difficult to generate URLs by listing ftpable
> directories, which in turn makes it difficult for archie-like things
> to return URLs in response to searches. (I'd rather it return URNs,
> but URLs are better than nothing.)
There are two options:
a) put the 'format guessing' into the program that lists the FTPable
directories and generates URLs from them. (I.e., rather than in all
of the various client programs). There's already code around in all
of the CLIENTS to guess that FOO.ps is application/postscript, I'm
just saying to move it to the other side of the protocol boundary,
so that you at least have the OPPORTUNITY to do something more than
guess.
b) leave the format out. It's probably important, if only for backward
compatibility, to allow for URLs or references or citations or
whatever to *not* contain any type information.
By the way, anyone tracking the development of a 'new FTP protocol'? I
saw some newsgroup about an attempt to replace FTP with something that
allows for partial retransmission, etc.