> From: "Theo van Veen" <[log in to unmask]>
> Wouldn't it be much simpler to use the contents of numberOfRecords to
> indicate that there the number or exact number is unknown rather than
> introducing a new extension ...
The use case we were addressing is when the server may be able to determine
(or estimate) the number of records, but it is an expensive process, so the
server would rather not go through that process without the client request
that it do so. (The client might only want the first 10 records regardless
of how many there are. In that case if the server goes through the process
of determining how many records there are, it goes through an expensive
process for nothing.)
The case where the server cannot determine or estimate the number is a
special case. In that case it would, as you suggest. be useful to have a
special value or some way to indicate this condition. But it is really the
first (more general) case that generated discussion of an extension.
--Ray
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