please review 'application/pdf'

[Keith Moore]

On Dec 7, 2003, at 8:08 PM, Larry Masinter wrote:

>>> In HTTP, the "cache-control: private" directive is defined
>>> with normative language for HTTP implementations about which
>>> bits they may or may not "share" with other users.
>>
>> clever, but it's not quite the same thing.  cache-control limits what
>> an HTTP intermediary can do with the file, but doesn't place any
>> restrictions on the user.
>
> So you would be satisfied if the document expressed the constraint
> in terms of behavior of the implementations, rather than a constraint
> on the users of those implementations?

no, of course not.  cache-control exists for cache coherency; it 
doesn't limit what the user can do with the file.  however, the 
constraints in PDF are intended to impose restrictions beyond those 
which are supported, and in some cases even beyond those allowed by 
law.  it's trying to replace laws that were crafted as compromises 
between the needs of the public vs. the needs of the content owner, 
with constraints that are solely determined by the creator of the PDF 
file.  that's seriously wrong.