[thelist] What is wrong with this site?

[aardvark]

> From: "Jeff Howden" <jeff at jeffhowden.com>
[...]
> > so, in this case, would you prefer the browser to honor
> > the file extension, or the mime type set by the server?
> ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
[...] 
> seriously though, there's something to be said about thinking of this
> whole "mess" from the user's perspective.  *maybe* the user wants all
> word docs to open in their browser.  maybe they've gotten use to pdfs
> doing the same thing and like that behavior.  aside from the ability
> edit (though most often not save) content brought into an embedded
> instance of word, excel, "jack's mpg coupler", etc., there isn't
> really anything categorically different about loading all sorts of
> content types into the browser whenever/wherever there's some sort of
> embeddable viewer for that particular type of content.

this is true, but i can tell you that in cases where i've changed the 
mime type of a .doc is because we found the users pulling their hair 
out about IE opening the .doc in the browser... at that point, the 
requirements were more than just requirements, they were about making 
the client happy after a bad experience (caused by the browser making 
a decision for them)... obviously there are exceptions...

> i'm not saying every user is smart enough to figure out how to get the
> document if they don't want it to load within the browser.  i'm also
> not saying every user is smart enough to figure out how to change
> certain mime-type handlers in ie to suit their preferred behavior. 
> however, what i am saying is that making assumptions about intended
> behavior for some users will no doubt screw with intended behavior for
> those who have deliberately made that choice.
[...]

agreed.

just as it can screw with the choice made by the developer to handle 
for exceptions, special cases, or just simple requests...

either way, i want the durned browser to honor my mime types...

-- 
yet another book:
  The Web Professional's Handbook
  http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1904151221/evoltorg02-20
  ISBN: 1904151221