[users@httpd] Content-Encoding: gzip

["S. Wong" <sw...@motorola.com>]

Hallo all,

I have a question regarding sending the correct Content-Encoding.  By
default, it seems that Apache 1.3.x and 2.0.x is sending Content-Type:
application/x-gzip and Content-Encoding: gzip with UserAgent IE with
HTTP/1.1 setting.  This is fine if using IE to view the URL but if it's
being fetched by a cache, it seems to confuse the cache.  The cache server
is deciding that the Content-Encoding: gzip indicates that the origin web
server is HTTP compression-capable and storing two versions or sending to
client browser with Vary-Encoding header. :-(  This causes the .gz file to
be corrupt when using IE with HTTP/1.0 setting and not found using IE with
HTTP/1.1 setting.

I know that it used to be gzip and x-gzip were used interchangeably but is
there a way to ensure x-gzip is sent from the origin web server so the cache
won't attempt to append the Vary-Encoding?

If you have an answer, is it possible to send me e-mail directly as I have
digest subscription and would like to see the answer as soon as someone has
one. :-)

Thanks!

Ciao ?:-)
S. Wong, WebPrincess
Be the change that you want to see in the world.
- Gandhi