From: mitra@path.net (Mitra)
Subject: Re: Final edits - summary of outstanding points.
Message-Id: <CFC1E2.1tu@pandora.sf.ca.us>
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1993 04:20:25 GMT
Mark -
I think what Rich means is that the type is unneccessary for retrieval,
it is of course neccessary that the client know what the type is, in order
to know what to do with the data when it gets it, but the URL spec
decided (rightly or wrongly) to move meta-information (such as the type)
out of the URL (into the URM).
Rich is also right that many clients interpret the selector string.
The Gopher0 protocol causes ftp retrievals to be
bounced across the net twice through gateways totally unrelated to
either the source or the destination of the information. Sensible
clients reroute such requests through a closer gateway, typically halfing
response time. If the Gopher protocols had been better designed then
they wouldnt have to break the opaqueness of the selector string.
- Mitra