Re: distinguishing browser types

Brian Gaines (gaines@fsd.cpsc.ucalgary.ca)
Fri, 28 Apr 1995 11:10:28 +0500

> Bill Perry writes:-
> But what about a browser that is ultra-configured, and really _CAN_
> display every type and its grandmother with no lossage whatsoever? Servers
> should make assumptions like this, no matter if they are justified at the
> moment. Browser authors should get off their !#%!#@ and do it right.
>

This makes the assumption that browsers could possibly do it all.
An important capability is the open architecture support of helpers
for types of whose characteristics the browser author cannot be aware.

Client = browser+helpers. Helpers can define their own MIME types
and offer new functionality based on them.

Much of the discussion this topic seems to assume that MIME types form
a finite well-defined set. The extensibility is a very important feature.

b.

Brian Gaines Knowledge Science Institute, University of Calgary
gaines@cpsc.ucalgary.ca Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
http://ksi.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/KSI
tel: 403-220-5901 fax: 403-284-4707