Re: Feature request: Advanced repository browsing over http

On Thu, Aug 21, 2003 at 01:09:49PM -0500, Ben Collins-Sussman wrote:

> Technically, the WebDAV spec says that when a client (i.e. web
> browser) does a GET request on a collection (directory), the
> server's response is "undefined". That means we could legally throw
> a 404. But instead, we decided to throw a cute little HTML listing
> of directory-entries in the HEAD revision, just to be nice. But
> that's the "tease" which leaves folks wanting more. Maybe that was
> a bad decision in retrospect... especially since 'svn ls http://'
> will give you exact same information. :-(

I don't think this was a bad decision at all. Especially if it remains
WebDAV compliant.

I'm working with Subversion on several projects, one of which consists
of a huge repository handling the developpement of a video game,
including docs, graphical resources, sounds, sources, and executable
files (yes, windows ...).

Everybody in the project uses Subversion, but not all the developpers
are coders or tech-savvy. Some graphical artists just don't care for
the dev tools.

I think allowing people to retrieve a file from a GET query (ie. with
a common web browser) is _tremendously_ useful and clever. But it'd
really look broken to the Joe Sixpack user if it did not allow
directory browsing.

So I just wanted to point out that, whereas you developpers could find
it somewhat hacky, most non-developper Subversion users find it
logical, and would find it strange if it did not behave that way.

-- 
Sebastien Cevey <seb@cine7.net>
Cine7.Net  -  Milcis.Net  -  ProgramPlay.Org
Jabber: theefer@albus.homelinux.net - ICQ: 48895760
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