ietf-xml-mime
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: Top-level media type xml desirable? (WAS: RE: Parameters for top-level XML media types?)

1999-05-07 07:28:08
[snip]
I think maybe we should go back to a very simple question: 
what are MIME types for? 
I thought at one point that they were to describe file types. 
If that is indeed the case, it might be a good idea to describe file types
as
accurately and completely as possible.
[snip]

Agreed. But I think "describe file types as accurately and completely as
possible" should refer ONLY to the format of the content of the "file",
NOT to possible usages of that content.

Disagree. "as accurately and completely as possible" is not a goal.
"Provide the minimum information necessary for a recipient to be able
to decide on an appropriate processor for an incoming message". Web
browsing was close enough to mail reading to use the same typing mechanism.

Different applications may require more specific information to
decide on how to process other kinds of data, but that information
should not be added to, or required to be supplied as part of, the
MIME type.