Here is a paper that I will bring to the meeting today for discussion.
MFPA-96-060
Submission to Printer Working Group
===================================
Title: Proposal to Submit PrtInterpreterLangFamily/Version as MIME
media-types
Contact: Raymond Lutz, Cognisys
BACKGROUND
==========
RFC 1759 ("Printer MIB") contains a group, PrtInterpreterLang, with
objects that identify various file formats and protocols which are
used to submit jobs and interact with print equipment. The purpose for
this list is to allow a network administrator to garner information
regarding the capabilities or view and set current settings of a
printer peripheral.
MIME ("Multimedia Internet Mail Extensions") contain a registration
method and registry for defining various "media-types" (AKA file
formats). The purpose of this registration method and registry is to
allow transfer of file data via email MIME attachments and allow the
receiver to handle this attachment in a graceful manner.
The ability to reference file formats is important in the
Multifunction product area as we are submitting jobs to dial-up or
email-remote printers. The lack of a single registry has been a key
problem in this area.
OBSERVATIONS
============
The MIME registry is targeted at "file formats" and does not specify
protocols which would not be transportable using internet
store-and-forward mail technology. Therefore, some of the objects
contained in prtInterpreterLang group would probably not be
appropriate for the MIME registry. I'll pick on Tipsi (IEEE-1284.1) as
a good candidate for this characteristic.
There is some current overlap between the group in RFC-1759 and MIME
registry. G3Fax is an example.
The MIME registration method is structured and will receive wider
review and use than the group defined by RFC-1759.
I have contacted the appropriate MIME list and Harald Alvestrand, (the
editor, I believe) says that he would love to have MIME types for the
printer file formats.
There is some overlap and ambiguity in these lists that would perhaps
be eliminated somewhat in the process.
PROPOSAL
========
1) Submit the PrtInterpreterLang formats, as appropriate, to the MIME
media-types mailing list for inclusion in that registry.
2) Add the reference to the MIME registry, as appropriate, in the
RFC-1759 list. This should flesh out the poorly specified formats that
also exist in the media-types list.
I expect that this will not be a "brain-dead" exercise, and that there
will be important improvements in this list as a result of this
cross-fertilization and structured registration process. Also, there
may be changes indicated to the RFC-1759 list. The extent of these
changes is unknown today.
/***********************************************************************
** Raymond Lutz Voice: 619-447-3246
** Director R & D, Cognisys, Inc. Fax: 619-447-6872
** MFPA EC Chair BBS: 619-447-2223
** 1010 Old Chase Ave., Suite B EMail: raylutz at cognisys.com
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