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Sam Ruby, author of "RESTful Web Services" seems to come out against the use of HTTP PUT for partial updates: http://intertwingly.net/blog/2008/02/15/Embrace-Extend-then-Innovate
What isn't clear is how partial updates should take place. As I commented near the bottom of his blog, it isn't clear how using HTTP PATCH is any better than using a "patch document" against HTTP PUT.
It is worth noting that although Sam comes out against misusing HTTP PUT he doesn't seem to advocate the use of HTTP PATCH either.
How should one submit RESTful partial updates?
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The HTTP verb named PATCH can be used for partial updates, i.e., when you would like to update just a few fields of a resource. While you could update a resource “partially” using HTTP PUT, by sending the entire resource with the updated values, that is potentially problematic.
You use the sObject Rows resource to update records. Provide the updated record information in your request data and use the PATCH method of the resource with a specific record ID to update that record. Records in a single file must be of the same object type.
A partial update is a change in the overall data set that does not require restarting the MDEX Engine. Partial updates allow you to update only those portions of the MDEX Engine index that have changed since the last baseline update. A partial update lets you implement a number of the source data changes.
As you can see from the comments in the blog post you referenced there is no agreed upon way to do partial updates. If heavyweights like Sam Ruby, Joe Gregario, Mark Nottingham, Mark Pilgrim, Bill de hÓra, etc cannot come to an agreement, what hope do we have.
As far as I am concerned, I wouldn't worry too much. Create a partial update media type that works for you, use PATCH to indicate your intent and when agreement is finally reached on a general purpose media type, change your server to accept both formats.
Be thankful that if the worst sin your REST api commits is abusing PUT/PATCH then you are doing pretty well.
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