From MemberWiki

URL: http://www.openajax.org/member/wiki/Mobile_Minutes_2008-10-09

Attendees

• Andrew Sledd, Ikivo
• Rotan Hanrahan, MobileAware
• Jon Ferraiolo, IBM

Minutes

(continuing review of http://www.openajax.org/member/wiki/Mobile_Device_APIs_Style_Guide)

Andy: Rotan, are you happy with the responses to your questions from our last call?

Rotan: Yes. I have a couple of minor things with the document though. At the beginning, let's replace "ignoring W3C" with "not being constrained by W3C".

Jon: I expect everyone will agree with that change. I'll make that change.

Rotan: Second, the document talks about snippets of JavaScript that can be placed on mobile devices. But it is hard to copy and paste on mobile phones. Maybe we could have a repository of JavaScript snippets. (This is in the section on widespread use of Ajax libraries) On mobile, often there is no ability to view source.

Andy: Isn't it true that everything that is available on mobile phones can also be viewed from desktop browsers?

Rotan: Not. There is often a server transcoder that delivers different content to mobile phones. Often we deliver different snippets for mobile. The mobile content is only available on desktop when there is a mobile emulator.

Jon: I see the value of having a standard repository of snippets, but the cost might be high. The snippets often are subject to change and are developed and maintained by one particular source. For example, Adobe maintains a snippet for making Flash work in HTML. Something like 50 lines that deals with browser differences such as embed vs object and that might workaround some IP issues. When things changes such as a new browser the snippet will change and Adobe will notify their community. If we created a list, it would usually just be links to other sites and would be difficult to maintain.

Rotan: Maybe we should provide guidance that talk about the various snippets, pointing out that the tried-and-true view source and copy/paste techniques do not work on mobile devices.

Jon: Multiple ways to address this view source problem. Here are two. (1) Tell mobile vendors that they should have emulators and that the emulators should have a view source feature, (2) Tell snippet developers to make sure that their snippets are discoverable on the Web

Rotan: Better to go after the snippet developers. We want to encourage Ajax libraries on mobile devices, so we need to provide them with best practices to encourage good outcomes. They need to advertise their APIs via examples and snippets.

PROPOSED NEW BULLET: Implementers of mobile device APIs should make sure that any JavaScript snippets that are needed by their implementation are discoverable on the Web. (The motivation behind this is that, unlike the desktop, mobile developers often cannot rely on view source and copy/paste of the HTML that is delivered to the mobile phone.)

Jon: Update on OMTP discussions. In email with Nick Allott, it sounds like the OMTP is debating on whether direct or indirect APIs are best.

Andy: Last phone call we decided to say that the direct approach is the most predominant in Ajax libraries today

Jon: I suggested to Nick that OMTP engage with key folks at the W3C so that they get early feedback and don't find themselves having put in a ton of work only to have W3C leadership tell them several months from now that they screwed up and things need to change. The good news is that there are two opportunities for OMTP and W3C people to engage, the W3C Plenary in two weeks and the W3C Security workshop in December.

Jon: The other update is that I will finally have discussions about BONDI security with some IBM security experts on Monday.

Rotan: OMTP people will definitely be at the Plenary. Nick will do a lightning talk on OMTP and W3C overlap.

Andy: So what are our next steps?

Jon: I think we should play things by ear. Wait until after the W3C Plenary to see what happens.

Andy: Next phone call was in two weeks. I am unavailable then.

Jon: I'm also unavailable, and that's the week of the Tech Plenary.

Rotan: Perhaps we can send comments to WebAps and Widgets to ask for review.

Andy/Rotan: Ask for formal feedback on the style guide.

Jon: Good idea. Ask for general review, but in particular a response on the question of direct vs indirect. But I want to coordinate with Nick Allott on this so we don't appear to be working at odds with each other. How best to do this? Private email to chairs or public email to group?

Rotan: Send a note to the chairs beforehand and ask about best mechanism. Make as formal as possible. Need to have an audit trail.

Jon: OK, I'll ask Nick about this first and then send emails to the chairs.