[rtcweb] a couple of comments on the latest API draft

["Robert O'Callahan" <[e-mail]>]

http://dev.w3.org/2011/webrtc/editor/webrtc-20111017.html

I'm not sure that "blackness" is the appropriate output for a finished
MediaStream. HTML media elements that aren't playing anything are
transparent. For consistency, it's probably better for MediaStreams that
aren't playing anything to also be transparent.

When a MediaStream<http://dev.w3.org/2011/webrtc/editor/webrtc-20111017.html#mediastream>object
ends for any reason (e.g. because the user rescinds the permission
> for the page to use the local camera, or because the data comes from a
> finite file and the file's end has been reached and the user has not
> requested that it be looped, or because the stream comes from a remote peer
> and the remote peer has permanently stopped sending data, it is said to be finished
> .
>

What if the user reinstates permission for the page to use a camera, or the
author modifies the source to add looping or otherwise replenish the data
(e.g. by restarting the source via some API)? In general, especially as we
add more sources, it's going to be hard to ensure that the ended/finished
state (I think probably you should remove all mentions of "finished" in
favour of "ended") is truly permanent. Certainly if we allow arbitrary media
elements to be used as sources (as I think we will want to), the author can
cause the media element to play again after it's finished.

I'm not sure what to do about this, but if we could allow MediaStreams to
exit the "ended" state, that would be good.

Rob
-- 
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in
us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned,
we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." [1 John 1:8-10]