poor use of HTTP in keyserver designs

Hello,

While looking for keyserver software to tinker with, I stumbled upon 
pkspxy, the key server proxy.  That got me wondering why keyservers 
would need a custom proxy.  Well, looking at the HTTP response headers 
of a key request explains a lot.  For example, here is the response to 
<http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x4C40410A>:

     Server: pks_www/0.9.6
     Content-Type: text/html

No doubt the keyserver designers were skilled in many areas, but I don't 
think HTTP was one of them.  (Yes, SKS is in the same boat.)

I'd like to see the HTTP response headers improved.  For example, use of 
entity tags would allow clients and proxies to poll for key changes with 
minimum burden to the server.  Combined with proper cache control 
headers, general HTTP proxies could serve the keyserver network well.

In summary, I'd like to see keyservers follow the SHOULD's in the HTTP 
RFC.  Bonus points for following REST principles.

-John Belmonte


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