Re: "textual binary" MIME types (was Re: file locking and binary files)

Hi.

On Mon 2002-11-18 at 14:09:17 -0500, Eric Gillespie wrote:
> Greg Hudson <ghudson@MIT.EDU> writes:
>
> > I disagree with both of you. This isn't configuration data,
> > this is information. No one has an interest in configuring
> > whether image/x-xbitmap is composed of text or not. They may
> > have an interest in adding application/x-localtype, but that
> > doesn't turn the contents of the default list into
> > configuration data.
>
> You contradict yourself. First you say the list is not
> configuration data, then you say the list should be configurable.

I think you missed Greg's point.

> The list *is* configuration data; like most configuration data,
> it has a set of defaults.

There is a difference: As Greg pointed out, one never wants to change
the default. More precisely: one might want to append to the list, but
there should be no reason to ever change any existing item. As a whole
list, it is configuration data, the default items are not.

> If you want to have the defaults in
> the code, that is fine, i will not argue against that.
[...]

That is exactly what he says: The default list is not configuration
data, therefore it is not automatically bad style to put the default
list into the code (this is what it was all about, before).

Bye,

        Benjamin.