[Zope] Zope Requests - POST vs. GET

[Passin, Tom]

[Tino Wildenhain ]

> > IMHO, the two should not be mixed because they have different 
> > semantics.  A POST is intended for sending information to 
> the server 
> > to apply to the resource designated by the current uri, a 
> > GET is for 
> > requesting a new page designated by the uri.  I think it is wise to 
> > keep them separated.
> 
> I dont think so. Its just a hindering decision to implement 
> it this way. Better approach would have been to implement a 
> GET and a POST namespace in REQUEST as well as mirroring the 
> variables into Form as they are now.
> 
> After all, a QUERY string in a Post URL is just valid 
> information. I really cant see why Zope does not let us 
> access it. And I'm very into standards.
> 

But they are not quite on the same footing so far as information goes -
there is supposed to be a semantic difference.  A GET is supposed to be
idempotent, a POST need not be.  For example, if you GET an airline
schedule twice in a row, it should not have changed because of the
effect of any data you sent with the GET.  If you transfer money from
one bank account to another using a POST, you expect to see a change in
the state of the resource (your bank account's representation).

True, a POST does not _have_ to make such a change.  But a GET is NEVER
supposed to.  When you mix up form variables between a POSTed form and
query string parameters,the procedssor ought to assume that all the
parameters might have come with the POST.  So in effect the semantics of
the GET have been changed.  That is what I am against - even if it is
convenient once in a while.

Cheers,

Tom P