Braid 102 is Tomorrow!

[Michael Toomim]

We've got three topics scheduled for tomorrow!

1. HTTP Multiplexing: Doing something Dirty, and making it Clean

Greg & Mike

As we transition HTTP from a transfer protocol to a synchronization protocol, we encounter a set of rough edges in implementations. Today, we'll discuss one in particular— existing browsers put a limit on the number of simultaneous HTTP connections they will allow to hold open to any particular host.

This limit makes sense for batch downloads, but doesn't make sense for long-lived subscriptions. While we go through the process of changing the limit, we've come up with a short-term protocol that multiplexes multiple HTTP connections over a single HTTP connection. It's now working, and implemented, and is entirely transparent to developers. We've done something dirty... but made it clean!

We'll discuss the interesting social process of raising these browser limits in the long term, and show the surprising technical approach that made this implementation clean in the short term. We'll also make space to discuss the bigger picture — what's it like to run into and reform these rough edges in implementations, as we change the nature of HTTP from transfer to synchronization?

2. Common Knowledge in Coordination Problems

Austin Wright

3. Using Copy-Paste Portals to Write a Website without a CMS

Austin Wright

I'll let Austin follow up to this email with a description for the latter two.

See you guys tomorrow!

Michael