Re: [hybi] Requirement: extensions and sub protocols

[Greg Wilkins <[e-mail]>]

I think we need to decide who will be doing the extending
and creating new subprotocols.

Ian appears to be advancing the position that if it can't
be done in javascript via the websocket API, then it can't
be done.  Moreover, that if you are not doing it in javascript
then you shouldn't be using websockets.


I disagree with that position (which is hopefully
somewhat close to what Ian actually is saying).

I think that extensions are most likely to be
implemented transparently below the API or
in the path to the server.


Examples that come to mind include:

  Browser implementing a simple multiplexing standard
  to make all websockets from the same tab/window share
  a common connection.

  Browser implementing compression.

  Firewalls acting as aggregators and combining
  multiple base connections into fewer multiplexed
  connections to the business servers.

  Appliances doing SSL offload and converting wss to ws
  connections with injected certificate information.


I also think that there will be extensions done
in javascript by frameworks/applications, but by
definition they work above the API and need no more
support from the base protocol than the API already
provides.

regards