RE: Standard HTTP error codes how?

From: Nottingham, Mark (Australia) <mark_nottingham@dont-contact.us>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 10:07:36 +1100

Mark,

This isn't an HTTP issue; microsoft (and netscape) have chosen to put
mechanisms in their interface that will expand non-complete URLs to what
they guess the user will want; for instance, 'microsoft' to
'www.microsoft.com'.

The proxy doesn't (and shouldn't) do this. If the browser sends an URL
with a non-existant hostname (like 'microsoft') to the proxy, it can't
even get to the host to get an HTTP error; it just sends back a page
saying that it couldn't find the resource, because it doesn't exist. I
don't know why the browsers don't expand hostnames when they're using a
proxy, but I suspect it's because this 'feature' isn't really HTTP
compliant, and there may be some situations in corporate settings where
the behavior would be undesireable (i.e., behind a firewall, anything
can happen).

Cheers,

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Rogers [mailto:markrogers@ozemail.com.au]
> Sent: Monday, November 02, 1998 9:42 AM
> To: squid-users@ircache.net
> Subject: Standard HTTP error codes how?
>
>
> Quick query,
> When the proxy tries to access an invalid web site=20
> and gets and error. It send the browser an error=20
> webpage. The browser gets the web page but doesn't
> get an HTTP error code so it's doesn't know the
> error actually happened. Is there a way to get
> standard HTTP errors back to the browser so it can
> act on those and not just blindly display the error page?
>
> E.g This is a problem for users that cannot get a=20
> proper response from putting "microsoft" in the=20
> address box. The cache sends back a web page and=20
> the browser does no more but if the proxy is disabled
> the browser gets a proper error and goes on to
> lookup www.microsoft.com and brings up the correct
> web site.
>
>
> Could you please reply to me directly at markrogers@ozemail.com.au
> Thanks.
>
Received on Sun Nov 01 1998 - 15:43:36 MST

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