Re: [Mod _gzip] Vary: header and mod_gzip

On Wednesday 28 August 2002 23.06, Michael.Schroepl@telekurs.de wrote:

> The problem is that "doesn't work" itself is not
> sufficiently describing the situation.
>
> Sending compressed HTML content to Netscape 4
> - "does work" (if you want nothing but render the
> file in the browser window, and will allow for
> a compression factor of 25 and more), and
> - "does not work" (if you want to print the file from
> the browser)
> at the same time, for the same file in the same
> browser.

Yes, and the server administrator will obviously have to select a
tradeoff here. Either don't send compressed replies to Netscape 4, or
accept that print does not work.

The implications at the HTTP level is that you either blacklist
Netscape 4 and have User-Agent included in Vary, or don't.

> mod_gzip doesn't allow for the combination of con-
> ditions. It only allows for inclusion and exclusion,
> where exclusion will override inclusion. There are
> no AND / OR operators; I can either exclude a browser
> or a MIME type, but nor a combination of both.
> (On the other hand, I could well _include_ such a
> combination, i. e. mod_gzip would support whitelists.)

Sounds like a serious limitation of the mod_gzip rule engine..

Regards
Henrik
Received on Thu Aug 29 2002 - 02:56:01 MDT