HTTP MIme content-type parameters

Marc Andreessen (marca@ncsa.uiuc.edu)
Sun, 5 Dec 93 01:48:50 -0800


Jim Davis writes:
> The HTTP draft RFC violates the MIME RFC 1341 specification for the
> use of parameters in content types. There are two problems.
>
> 1) The MIME RFC states that parameters are separated from the subtype
> by a semi-colon, e.g.
>
> text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> But the HTTP draft says uses semi-colon to separate alternative
> content-types, and uses comma to separate parameters.
>
> HTTP should change to conform to MIME, e.g. the example on p 8 should
> be:
>
> Accept: text/x-dvi; q=.8;mxb=10000;xmt=5.0, text/x-c
>
> 2) The MIME spec considers period to be a tspecial, which means it is
> forbidden to use it within a token. It must instead be quoted. So
> the example on page 8 should be:
>
> Accept: text/x-dvi; q=".8";mxb=10000;xmt="5.0", text/x-c
>
> Can we agree to bring the HTTP spec in line with MIME standard?

I think this is essential. Anyone have a problem with the proposed
changes? Tim?

Cheers,
Marc