Subject: [art] [Linkset I-D] linkType parameter

From: Phil Archer <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 16:20:58 +0100

A separate question from my previous one about arrays of linksets...

A feature of GS1 Digital Link is that you can query a 'GS1 conformant
resolver' in 3 different ways.

If you just dereference https://id.gs1.org/01/9506000134352 you'll be
redirected to a Web page about that (fictional) item. Depending on your
browser's language, you might see the page in English, Spanish,
Vietnamese or Japanese.

Now try
https://id.gs1.org/01/9506000134352?linkType=gs1:hasRetailers

Same number, same resource, but now you're going to be redirected to one
of the available links that has a @rel value of gs1:hasRetailers.

All the available links are exposed in the HTTP Link Header (even when
redirecting), but you can get the full set by making linkType=all (we
are almost certain to deprecate this in favour of linkType=linkset).

OK... so that linkType parameter is the crucial thing here. In its
absence, you're redirected to the default link. With it, you'll be
redirected to a specific link if there's one that matches the link
relation type in your request (if not, you get the default). Set it to
'linkset' and you get everything available.

My question is: does this sound useful in other contexts? It makes sense
in the world of GS1 (products, shipments, barcodes). Could this I-D, or
another, define the linkType parameter?

And before MNot says this is a land grab of URI space in contravention
of BCP190, well, one thing we'd say in friendly *bold* letters, is that
no, this does *not* mean that linkType would *always* mean this. Servers
are sovereign and are free to use whatever parameters they like in
whatever way they like. Just in some cases, this might be useful (GS1
conformant resolvers MUST have a little file at /.well-known/gs1resolver
so you know what to expect).

Thoughts?

Thanks

Phil

--
Phil Archer
Director, Web Solutions, GS1
https://www.gs1.org

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