Keith's Weblog: Comments on "File extensions on the web"

by Alan Green

Sun, 02 May 2004 20:59:26 +0000

It's nice if URLs make a certain amount of sense, because people look at them in the browser location bar. Since a '.html' or '.jpeg' can help people figure out what they are looking at, then they should be used.

The real travesty with "file extensions" on URLs is that some browsers (IE at least) will use the extension to determine the content type, ignoring the HTTP content-type header.

PS: What does ".web" mean?

by Keith

Sun, 02 May 2004 21:04:55 +0000

What does ".web" mean?

Heh, nothing. It's part of the slug I use periods to separate words in the slug sometimes, a practice I got from CNN. It just as easily could have been "web.file-ext". Though, your question was probably rhetorical, so now I probably look silly answering it

The real question I have is... do you think I should put a .xml on my RSS (and later, Atom) feeds?

by Dinx

Sun, 02 May 2004 21:56:38 +0000

In my opinion, the use of "filename extensions" is a prehisthoric artifact introduced by "MS-DOS" some decades ago.

Yes, it could make some sense for the user to be able to determine the type of file he is dealing with.

But using a "filename extension"? Have a look at the Macs. They don't neet such a crap.

What I would like to have would rather be some kind of "general classifaction system" for files. I.e. one can add "attributes" to file-names and assign those attributes certain values. Platform independent ... of course.

So, for example: the .TXT file could be described as:
- Content=Text
- Charset=Ansi

an .EXE as
- Content=Program
- Executable=Yes
- Platform=Intel

.HTML
- Content=Web
- Charset=Blah (or ISOblub, etc)

I dont know if you get my idea ... what I am trying to say is: a simple crappy filename-extension will NEVER be enough to classify its content (when looking at the MEANING, the TECHNOLOGY, the VERSION and and and ...)

Imho it is necessary to establish some kind of "generic classification system" for .... ressources (not only for files ... not even only for files on the web! ... but in general!!)