Media/Device Type Spec???

[Dave Cridland]

On Wed Aug 18 17:38:48 2004, Jerry Haltom wrote:
> This doesn't seem to be hacking mime to me. It just alters the 
> general
> definition of MIME from "type of data stream" to "type of resource".
> Isn't this appropriate?

I don't think so, no. I think you're guilty of trying to make 
everything into a nail.

I think a MIME content type describes the nature of the data in a 
stream, or sequence of octets, if you prefer. That's what it always 
has done.

What you want to say is that the application handles audio CDs.

Instead, you appear to be saying the application can handle the 
stream found on audio CDs, so if I copied it somewhere else, or 
mailed it to you, then the app could play it.

It gets potentially quite awkward, if, say, your device happens to 
really contain a stream. Like /dev/audio, or whatever.

Why not define something that sits on top of these things? Call it 
"Access Type" or something? If it's a different format, then we can 
even use the same field in the Desktop files to store it. (Like, 
"~audio-cd" or something.)

Same thing can then be used for URI schemes, we can just bung in 
"http:".

I don't see why everything should be made to be a MIME type.

Dave.