>I think most of the action *should* be server-side (i.e., only send what the
>browser wants or can handle), but this requires a start-up dialog between
>browser and server to establish what the browser *can* handle (not too
>difficult to establish).
It is already partly in place, as the browser will send what formats it support.
>Also there seems to be too much emphasis on
>"in-line" capabilities - the fact that you can spawn "helper-apps" was/is a
>real strength of Web browsers - extensibility and preservation of original
>media types being just two benefits
In-line capabilities is very important, and should be even more emphasized.
However, whether to display the inlined information in the document,
display it in in a spearate window, or leave it as a link should be the
decision of the browser/user, and not the author. A helper app could be
able to display a media type within any document displayed by a browser,
and is supported by the UI object mechanisms (OpenDoc, OLE, etc). Helper
apps is more in accordance with modern software paradigms than having one
fat browser that can do it all.
-- Terje <[email protected]>
<URL:http://www.ifi.uio.no/~terjen/>