> Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 14:14:23 +0100
> From: Theo van Veen <[log in to unmask]>
>
> I am afraid that my point is not understood. It is all quite
> simple. We only have to agree that, when I publicise my base-url,
> others only have to stick the SRU request after it, without worrying
> about my cgi script. So it is up to everyone' s own implementation
> how their base-url looks like but the client should never put the
> "?" between the base- url and the request.

> One server might prefer http://someurl/database? as base-url, the
> other might prefer http://someurl?database&. The client doesn't have
> to be aware of the difference.  It is important to realize that this
> is different from using local parameters! Local x- parameters are
> actually used and known as parameters by the clients. The parameters
> before the "?" are not to be USED by clients as parameters but are
> just a fixed part of the base-url.

Theo, I hope you can forgive me for this, but ...

On this occasion, I agree with you! :-)  I think the approach you
suggest here, while not very clean from a computer-science
perspective, offers valuable flexibility.

So folks, all we're talking about is this.  When Theo says "my servers
for databases <a> and <b> are at the URLs <x> and <y>", and you
want to sent parameters <m&n&o>, you make the URLs as follows:
        <x><m&n&o>
        <y><m&n&o>
instead of
        <x>?<m&n&o>
        <y>?<m&n&o>

That gives Theo the flexibility he wants to incorporate some extra
bits and bobs into <x> and <y>.  That doesn't seem a lot to ask.

 _/|_    _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor  <[log in to unmask]>  http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "By filing this bug report you have challenged the honor of
         my family.  PREPARE TO DIE!" -- Klingon Programming Mantra

--
Listen to my wife's new CD of kids' music, _Child's Play_, at
        http://www.pipedreaming.org.uk/childsplay/