Re: [hybi] BWTP Proposal - Bidirection Web Transfer Protocol

[Pieter Hintjens <ph at imatix.com>]

On Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 12:24 AM, Greg Wilkins<gregw at webtide.com> wrote:

> I've added you as a collaborator on the google doc.
> I've also added an appendix on the differences with HTTP/1.1, which
> for the benefits of the list is
>
> Appendix A. Key differences with HTTP/1.1

Fair enough.  Would it be correct to describe this as an asynchronous
message framing protocol designed to be layered on top of HTTP?  The
reason for using this protocol is then to implement asynchronous
client-to-server or server-to-client messaging with minimal overhead,
using an established HTTP connection as the basis.

Thus, the complex one-off work (like authentication) is done using
synchronous, pedantic HTTP while the high volume work (message
transfer) is done using fast, asynchronous BWTP?  Presumably after
switching to BWTP, one does not return to HTTP.

This is a good pattern IMO.

> With regards to work needed on the document - the security mechanism
> needs to be reviewed and an Origin and acceptable-Origin mechanism
> defined.
>
> Also the document needs section 14 to be completed with Header Field
> Definitions.  These will mostly be from RFC2616, but some will not
> be applicable, some will need to be modified and there should be
> a few new ones.
>
> Oh and the document needs to be converted to something that does
> not have hard coded formatting.  What is commonly used for
> this? nroff? docbook?

My proposal would be to use a wiki, where the text can be edited
collaboratively, and where we can track issues and todos.  I usually
use wikidot.com for such things (e.g. www.restms.org).  Glad to set
that up if you need it.

It's pretty simple to convert from any random wiki text to an IETF
standard layout when it's time to do that.  Hard formatting before
that point is just a PITA.

Cheers,
Pieter