[fitsmime] Thoughts on FITS MIME types.

[Steve Allen]

On Mon 2002-12-09T17:03:16 +0000, Clive Davenhall hath writ:
>   why does compression using hcompress need its own MIME type (Section
>   4.2).  Should not hcompression also be handled by a content-encoding
>   entry?  Or an I missing something?

I inserted the hcompress entry as a representative for the large range
of MIME types which Bill Joye had found to be in use.  I do not think
it is viable for registration with the IANA, mostly on the grounds that
there is not enough authority behind its usage.

It would be good to see comments from groups who are employing any of
those MIME types, for in the absence of those it is hard to be sure
that the RFC will satisfy their needs.


Note that I did not mention application/fits-group in my previous
post.  I see this type as a gateway to further discussion.  I am
not familiar enough with the nature of its usage to write more,
but I'll pose questions:

Are FITS Random Groups files in sufficiently widespread use that their
users can justify the creation of the one "special" category of
application/fits-group?

If so, would including this type into the RFC pose as a valid means of
pointing the way toward future creation of other specialized MIME
types for FITS?  Or would its inclusion be a bad precedent?

--
Steve Allen          UCO/Lick Observatory       Santa Cruz, CA 95064
sla at ucolick.org      Voice: +1 831 459 3046     http://www.ucolick.org/~sla
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