ietf-xml-mime
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: MPEG asks for MIME review for the MPEG21 file format

2007-05-20 16:05:02

On Friday, May 18, 2007, 5:27:52 PM, Dave wrote:

(I'm snipping the parts already covered by Martin)

DS> Is a ZIP compressed XML file servable under a +xml MIME type? 
DS> "encoding='zipped Shift_JIS'"?

I suspect you mean gzip, which is a compression method; zip is an archive 
format (often compressed internally).

If you started with foo.xml in Shift_JIS, the encoding declaration would say 
just that. If you then make foo.xml.gz the encoding declaration (when 
decompressed) says exactly the same thing. The fact that is been gzipped is 
conveyed out of band, in the http headers:

Content-Encoding: gzip

There is scope for confusion, since XML uses 'encoding' for 'character 
encoding' (although that's a big advance on calling it 'charset'). HTTP uses 
content-encoding. The two uses of the concept 'encoding' occur at different 
levels in the stack.

In consequence, using gzip content-encoding is compatible with +xml media types.


-- 
 Chris Lilley                    mailto:chris(_at_)w3(_dot_)org
 Interaction Domain Leader
 Co-Chair, W3C SVG Working Group
 W3C Graphics Activity Lead
 Co-Chair, W3C Hypertext CG