Alt text and media types for preformatted text

[Nathan Galt]

On Mon, Mar 1, 2021, at 1:24 PM, Sean Conner wrote:
> It was thus said that the Great Thomas Frohwein once stated:
> > On Mon, Mar 01, 2021 at 10:12:18AM +0000, Caolan McMahon wrote:
> > [...]
> > > > > 2. Knowing the content type upfront would allow clients to present streaming
> > > > > data correctly using appropriate colours and escape codes for code
> > > > > highlighting, for example.
> > > > 
> > > > A solution to a problem of its own making.
> > > 
> > > Sorry, I don't follow this point.
> > 
> > IMO escape codes are a hack, and universal client support can't be
> > expected. In fact, those may break different terminal/client types.
> > 
> > I think color escape codes should not be considered expected with
> > clients. In fact, there should probably a discussion if this should be
> > discouraged in the spec.
> 
>   I've talked on this before (several times in fact) and my stance is that
> controls codes aside from HTAB, CR and LF should not be used in text/gemini. 
> There's the issue that "color escape codes" are an artifact or side effect
> of a terminal-based Gemini browser and it can't be relied to even exist in
> the graphical browsers that are popping up.  Then there's the security
> issue---there are escape codes that can reprogram the keyboard, and although
> the usage is rare, it is possible.  There are also escape codes that can
> resize the window and reposition the window, and there's no telling what
> state the terminal can end in.
> 
>   While I would like to disallow control codes in the specification, that
> might be too big of a change, and *will* affect some sites, but adding
> verbiage that discourages it can be added.
> 
>   -spc

Perhaps this is the wrong way to frame this, but you're prioritizing backwards compatibility on a pre-1.0-spec to support an unintended hack that has security issues?

If I had control codes on my capsule, I'd grumble a bit, sure, but I'd remove them. I'm not sure it's worth it to shield the tiny handful of **current** capsule operators from some search-and-delete work compared to all the future client implementors who'll face at least some pressure to implement color support (and, if they're actual terminal applications, open their users to keyboard-reset exploits).