Network Working Group                                          C. Rogers
Request for Comments: 1927                                           ISI
Category: Informational                                     1 April 1996


      Suggested Additional MIME Types for Associating Documents

Status of this Memo

  This memo provides information for the Internet community.  This memo
  does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of
  this memo is unlimited.

1)      New MIME Types: Staple and "Paper" Clip

       1) indicates the degree of binding of multipart documents:
          stapled documents should stay together on the desktop,
          while paper clipped ones should be easily spreadable

       2) big paper clips vs small ones; heirarchical assembly

       3) big vs small for large documents vs. small ones?

       4) warning!  the presence of electronic staples or paper clips
          may break some programs, particularly those designed to do
          high-speed copying!

2)      patents on the electronic staple and paper clip

       1) use First Virtual to record a charge each time new staples
          or paper clips are made.

       2) to reduce transmission charges, electronic staples should be
          bought in boxes of 5000.  Reference: Apple's "bento"
          technology?

       3) electonic staples should have a standard "size and shape"
          so a supply of staples could be used be used by several
          programs.

3)      recycling electronic staples and paper clips

       1) to assure proper accounting, and to detect patent violations
          (people making their own electronic staples), it may be
          necessary to attach a certificate to each staple or paper
          clip.





Rogers                       Informational                      [Page 1]

RFC 1927           MIME Types: Associating Documents        1 April 1996


       2) When a file or folder is deleted, a "recycler" program could
          look inside for staples or paper clips that could be reused
          or recycled.

               1) staples could be reycled for a small credit

               2) paper clips could be reused.

4)      custom-look electronic staples and paper clips

       1) when stabled or clipped documents are displayed on the
          desktop, there should be some icon or visual indicator to
          show the presence of the (possibly removable) staple
          or paper clip

       2) "color=" and "shape=" attributes in the MIME line should
          allow senders to customize the appearance of individual
          staples or paper clips.

               1) this could have some significance for office filing
                  systems, for instance: a silver paper clip could
                  trigger one workflow component, while
                  a gold paper clip could trigger another.

       3) "src=" would allow the specification of a URL of the image to
          be shown, for even greater control of appearance.

       4) it should be possible to specify 3D modelling of your custom
          paper clip, for electronic desktops being viewed through
          virtual reality headsets

5)      electronic paper clip sculpture

       1) instead of discarding or reusing paper clips, it should be
          possible to "bend" them and display the resulting sculpture
          on the desktop

               1) a morphing interface would be suitable

       2) linked chains of paper clips

       3) each paper clip should keep track of how many times it has
          been  bent.  Above a certain limit, the clip should fail.








Rogers                       Informational                      [Page 2]

RFC 1927           MIME Types: Associating Documents        1 April 1996


6)      electronic paper clips as page flags

       1) in addition to using electronic paper clips to group related
          documents, it should be possible to attach an electronic
          paper clip to a single page of a multipage document or
          collection of documents.  This highlights or draws
          attention to the page.

       2) it should be possible to include positioning information
          with the electronic paper clip, to mark specific paragraphs
          or sentences

       3) combinations of color, shape, size, position, orientation,
          etc. could have special meaning

7)      additional safety hazards of electronic paper clips

       1) they should not be used on data flines which might end up in
          the hands of very small children

               1) thus, one should consider keeping them in a locked
                  drawer of the electonic desk on home PCs

       2) they should not be attached to documents on floppy disks, as
          they may erase portions of the floppy

Security Considerations

  Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

Author's Address

  Craig Milo Rogers
  USC/Information Sciences Institute
  4676 Admiralty Way
  Marina del Rey, CA 90292

  Phone: 310-822-1511
  EMail: [email protected]












Rogers                       Informational                      [Page 3]


You are viewing proxied material from gopher.fnord.one. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.