Short technical roadmap

[Jesper]

Hi,

As detailed in the Feasibility and Scope post[1], the aim is for there
to be primarily three tiers.

[1]: http://waffle.wootest.net/2010/04/18/rouse-feasibility-and-scope/

The first tier will focus on getting a web browser going that's bare
bones, except for where it really matters, which includes the style of
user interface that it should have. I define this to mean that the UI
should be sparse but include at least functional -- and not
functionally complete but half-assed -- versions of tabbed thumbnails.
What's not essential at this stage is the entire web browser legacy
(meant in this context to be what is expected in a browser, not what
is pejoratively obsolete): Clearing out cookies. Providing a history.
Having a bookmarks manager. Ad blocker extensions. Autofill. Printing.
Assorted fowl in Pyrus communis foliage.

The second tier will build out the UI capabilities so that it becomes
more awesome, and basic functionality such that it can be used in the
real world. The third tier will start to provide deeper integration by
user-level scripts into WebKit, surfaced in a way that doesn't
compromise the security of the browser.

The first will be the one that all programming efforts will be focused
on right now because it's needed for the other two. Here, there are a
number of different and overlapping concerns:

* The part of the user interface that involves navigating to sites,
representing progress and your current location.
* Loading web sites. (What of secure connections? Certificates?)
* Responding to failure. (Timeouts, "send this form again", redirect loops.)
* Handling downloads.
* Responding to JavaScript.
* Handling tabs and new windows.

Since this is my baby, if no one else is interested, I'm ready and
prepared to do all of them. But help yourself to tackle any one of
them; just announce your intent here first.

/Jesper


--
Subscription settings: http://groups.google.com/group/rouse-dev/subscribe?hl=en