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Re: Last Call: <draft-holsten-about-uri-scheme-06.txt> (The 'about' URI scheme) to Proposed Standard

2011-01-20 19:14:20
I agree with SM's concern that the mechanism by which this is
extended is underspecified.  The draft contains one reserved
token, "blank", and a set of examples which make clear that there
is an unwritten set of known and unknown tokens which populate the "segment"
portion of the given ABNF.  Providing a registry for those tokens,
possibly with simple "reserved" status if no specification exists, might
help.  Standardizing a method for querying what about: tokens are
available in a specific context might as well (about:about, for example,
or about:?about).

But the reality is that the behavior resulting from these URIs is totally
non-deterministic and varies from context to context.  In most contexts
outside of a browser location bar, they are meaningless. Inside that
context, the browser's definition seems to be definitive.  If the aim
is only to get about:blank fully specified, I'd suggest saying so outright,
and noting clearly that all other uses are context-dependent, with
returning about:blank recommended practice  for those unknown.

As a thought experiment, would the W3C counsel against the presence
of an about URI in an XML namespace?

Additionally, naming a change controller should generally be a bit more
precise than an organization name.  The W3C director or TAG seems
more appropriate than just "W3C".

regards,

Ted Hardie

On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 11:18 AM, SM <sm(_at_)resistor(_dot_)net> wrote:
At 07:56 14-01-11, The IESG wrote:

The IESG has received a request from an individual submitter to consider
the following document:
- 'The 'about' URI scheme'
 <draft-holsten-about-uri-scheme-06.txt> as a Proposed Standard

The IESG plans to make a decision in the next few weeks, and solicits
final comments on this action. Please send substantive comments to the

There is a IANA registration in Section 8.  The arguments at
http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/ietf/current/msg65163.html are also
applicable to draft-holsten-about-uri-scheme-06.

In Section 5.2:

 "Applications MAY resolve any unreserved "about" URI to any resource,
  either internal or external, or redirect to an alternative URI."

What happens when the unreserved "about" URI becomes a reserved "about" URI
in future?

Regards,
-sm

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