Open Web Platform Weekly Summary - 2011-05-17 - 2011-06-20

I dropped the ball since the last weekly summary of the Open Web Platform. A lot of trips, jetlag, preparing talks didn’t help. Anne Van Kesteren is back from his long trip in South America and has taken over the wonderful job that Shelley Powers did for the last few weeks.

HTML5 is in Last Call. The HTML WG may expect a lot of comments.

Conversations

Proposals

• Mark Nottingham created a RFC draft for Linked Cache Invalidation. It defines Web link types that invalidate HTTP caches, along with an HTTP cache-control extension that allows caches that understand those link types to use responses containing them. Yngve N. Pettersen has a similar document called Cache Context and Mark pointed to a paper by Bala and Craig Wills on Piggyback Cache Invalidation as well sharing working and deployed code for Squid
• There is a new proposal for HTTP authentication scheme using a MAC algorithm to authenticate requests (via a pre-arranged MAC key): HTTP MAC Authentication Scheme
• Marcos Caceres has updated the test suite for Widgets Digital Signature.
• There has been a proposal for a DOMCrypt API. The crypto API in browsers would allow the creation of secure communications. There are cases where it should not be required to rely only on the good will of the servers.
• Adam Barth has been working on a URL Interface. There was a strong interest from the community.
• Proposal for separating script downloads and execution
• Guha proposed a simplification to Microdata

Announcements

• A new version of the Decision policy for the HTML WG is being drafted. This document explains how decisions are made, what are the mechanisms to push further an issue, etc.
• There is also a Last Call for DOM 3 Events. Implementers have until June 28 for commenting on the implementability of the specification.
• There is a request to give help to Ian Hickson for dealing with the issues brought to the HTML WG. It is the time you could get involved in HTML5 Specification.
• A new version of Memento-ID has been published which proposes a mechanism for keeping dated archives of content.
• Widget Packaging & XML Configuration, Widget Interface and Widget Digital Signature have been published as Last Call Working Drafts.
• A Last Call Working Draft has been published for the Contact API. The comment deadline is July 14. The goal is to have a way to make the addressbook portable between Web applications.
• Enhancement request: change EventSource to allow cross-domain access

Hot Topics

• Adapative images are an issue for content negotiation based on the device capabilities. Right now there is no easy way to send a different image depending on the screen size. It becomes important in terms of usability and performances.
• Getting the right feedback on a specification can be challenging. The tools might create an additional burden for the commenters. Steve Faulkner is proposing to improve Bugzilla which has been used for the HTML WG. Mike Smith is working on a solution.
• There is a long dicussion about where should lie the HTML5 normative requirements for Web Authors. Right now the HTML5 Specification contains the requirements for the different class of products (parser, authors, etc.). A view has been created for authors but which is for now informative only. The question is then “Should there be an easily readable normative specification for Web authors only?”
• Is the HTTP code 203 Non-Authoritative used and should it be deprecated?
• Vincent Scheib (Google) has worked on an implementation of mouse lock in Chrome
• Israel Hilerio (Microsoft) proposed for IndexedDB: Using WebIDL Dictionary in IDBObjectStore.createIndex for optionalParameters, Should deleteDatabase return IDBVersionChangeRequest?, IDBDatabase.setVersion non-nullable parameter has a default for null
• Gecko, Presto, and Webkit all support on* event attributes on all DOM elements, not just HTMLElement. IE9 seems to only support them on HTMLElement. Boris Zbarsky (Mozilla) proposed to be supported on all DOM elements but element-specific (e.g. “click”).
• Some changes are proposed for the Web Messaging specification
• Aryeh Gregor has asked for feedback on supported elements for formatBlock
• Generalized execCommand() alternatives, or standardized selection and range handling
• WebVTT feedback and Video feedback
• Selectors within <style scoped>
• Hashing Passwords Client-side
• getSelection().modify() in vertical writing modes
• Handling of collapsed whitespace in contenteditable

This column is written by Karl Dubost, working in the Developer Relations & Tools at Opera Software.