Re: [Gen-art] Genart last call review of draft-ietf-httpbis-bcp56bis-13

[Mark Nottingham <[e-mail]>]

Hi David,

Thanks for the feedback. Responses below.

> On 13 Aug 2021, at 4:36 am, David Schinazi via Datatracker <[e-mail]> wrote:
> 
> Minor issues:
> * s4.5 seems to prohibit defining new non-generic HTTP methods. How do we
> reconcile that with the work happening in MASQUE? I know that CONNECT is its
> own special-case, but should we have a carveout here? (Though MASQUE might end
> up using extended CONNECT which side steps the issue). Or is it the case that
> MASQUE is modifying HTTP itself instead of building an application over HTTP?

That is only restating the requirements of HTTP:

'Unlike distributed objects, the standardized request methods in HTTP are not resource-specific, since uniform interfaces provide for better visibility and reuse in network-based systems [REST]. Once defined, a standardized method ought to have the same semantics when applied to any resource, though each resource determines for itself whether those semantics are implemented or allowed.' -- https://httpwg.org/http-core/draft-ietf-httpbis-semantics-latest.html#method.overview

'Standardized methods are generic; that is, they are potentially applicable to any resource, not just one particular media type, kind of resource, or application. As such, it is preferred that new methods be registered in a document that isn't specific to a single application or data format, since orthogonal technologies deserve orthogonal specification.' -- https://httpwg.org/http-core/draft-ietf-httpbis-semantics-latest.html#considerations.for.new.methods

That said, I don't see MASQUE as an application of HTTP; it's a generic extension.


> Nits/editorial comments:
> * s3.2 uses the term "link" without explaining what it is. Perhaps a reference
> to RFC 8288 if that's what is meant here? * s4.11 mentions HTTP/3 without
> referencing its specification

See:
  https://github.com/httpwg/http-extensions/commit/70c3ee4dde

Cheers and thanks again,


--
Mark Nottingham   https://www.mnot.net/