In what way is formatting more complex with HTTP? Assuming the mime mappings are set up correctly the HTTP server pushes out the files with the correct content

In what way is formatting more complex with HTTP? Assuming the mime mappings are set up correctly the HTTP server pushes out the files with the correct content type and with that you can edit your text files with ed for all I care and it will work. The fact that you can do more complex things with HTTP does not mean you should, the aforementioned example of a directory full of files is just as valid as it was when Tim Berners-Lee fired up the first site on his Next cube.