HTTP MIme content-type parameters

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Date: Sun, 5 Dec 93 01:48:50 -0800
From: marca@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Marc Andreessen)
Message-id: <9312050948.AA16357@wintermute.ncsa.uiuc.edu>
To: Jim Davis <davis@dri.cornell.edu>
Cc: www-talk@nxoc01.cern.ch
Subject: HTTP MIme content-type parameters
In-reply-to: <199312031526.AA18189@willow.tc.cornell.edu>
References: <199312031526.AA18189@willow.tc.cornell.edu>

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