Re: LYNX-DEV Handling of URL fragments received in 302 Location: header

[Wayne Buttles]

On Sat, 12 Jul 1997, Al Gilman wrote:

> 
> On webwatch-l we have been looking into why Lynx has trouble
> accessing the Readers Digest site.  It turns out that the site is
> returning a 302 message with a Location: header containing what
> would be a correct relative URL if the Location: of the GET
> request to which the 302 is replying is treated as establishing a
> BASE for its resolution.
> 
> I think that Klaus and Fote have discussed this issue and I
> haven't entirely followed the discussion.
> 
> We can tell Readers Digest to send an absolute URL in the 302 and 
> they can serve Lynx users that have current software.  Did anyone
> hear back from the HTTP authorities on the interpretation of 
> URL fragments offered in a Location: header?

Wasn't sure how much to cut...

Just an fyi.  I don't know what is legal and what isn't, but I do know
that Lycos and Altavista crawlers don't follow 302 codes that don't give
an absolute URL.  I ran into this receintly with a web site that says they
support full virtual domains but actually have a Mac throwing 302's at
people to point them to a subdirectory server--disgusting!

Wayne

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