Re: Notes on Web and Service Workers

One could say that...  I have a 3 year old (so always teaching), and in
addition, I teach HTML/CSS/Javascript courses for DBW, and write
narrative-non-fiction books about technology:

Stress Free Email:
http://aerbook.com/books/Zen_of_Technology__Stress_Free_Email-8835.html
The Zen of Technology (WIP):
https://aerbook.com/books/Zen_of_Technology-3955.html

Oddly enough, I have a BS in business with a heavy focus on presentation...


-Nick


On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 11:54 AM, Bill Kasdorf <bkasdorf@apexcovantage.com>
wrote:

>  Nick, were you a teacher in a past life? ;-)
>
> --Bill K
>
>
>
> *From:* Nick Ruffilo [mailto:nickruffilo@gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, May 12, 2015 10:16 AM
> *To:* Ivan Herman
> *Cc:* Tzviya - Hoboken Siegman; Markus Gylling; W3C Digital Publishing IG
> *Subject:* Re: Notes on Web and Service Workers
>
>
>
> Ivan,
>
>
>
> Web/Service workers can be some seriously complex topics, especially if
> you don't come from a computer science/linux background, but I'll try to
> explain them in completely "human" terms.
>
>
>
> Imagine your web page - instead of being a bunch of HTML/CSS/Javascript,
> being a person - lets say ME.  (obviously this is a bit of a
> simplification, but you'll get the point) When you first access that
> website, I create outlines for the objects based on the HTML code.  Then, I
> paint and manipulate how those objects based on the way they look (that's
> the CSS).  I'm one person, so I can only do one thing at a time.
>
>
>
> Next, once everything is laid down, I get to "work" (javascript).  As your
> mouse moves I check my list of instructions to see if I should be
> triggering an interaction, etc.  But I'm only 1 person.  Technically you
> can have me complete multiple tasks (have a clock that displays the time,
> play an animation, etc) but, for the most part, I have to figure out how to
> manage all of that with my arms and legs.
>
>
>
> In comes "Web/Service workers."  Lets say I'm getting really tired, I can
> call a "Web Worker" (temporary labor) to come handle some tasks for me.
> Since this is a new person, they can handle the tasks independent of what I
> am doing.  Since a web-worker is temporary labor, they will go away as soon
> as you close that page.
>
>
>
> Then we get into Service Workers.  Service workers are like butlers - they
> stick around even if you leave the page.  So, if you ask them to make you a
> sandwich (because you're so hungry from running so much javascript) the
> user can close the page, then come back later, and the butler is ready with
> the sandwich.
>
>
>
> Ultimately it comes down to THREADs.  A thread is a "line" of functions.
> Most of programming is linear: Execute this code, then move on to the
> next.  Repeat.  The issue is that if one task takes a long time, everything
> AFTER that gets delayed.  Creating a 2nd thread means work can still get
> done.  Today's chips can easily handle multi-threaded operations and excel
> at it.  Web workers are a way to easily define threads, whereas in the past
> you had to do it in a very "hacky" way using timers (in javascript).
>
>
>
> Hopefully this clears things up.  If anyone spots a flub by my
> explanation, please let me know!
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 8:24 AM, Ivan Herman <ivan@w3.org> wrote:
>
> Tzviya, Markus,
>
> I have spent some time trying to get *some* idea on what Web Workers and
> Service Workers are. They are spinning my head and I am sure there are many
> details that I simply did not understand. Nevertheless, I thought it is
> worthwhile jotting them down separately, because they might affect the
> whole EPUB-WEB discussion:
>
> https://github.com/w3c/epubweb/wiki/Notes-on-Web-and-Service-Workers
>
> I would be pleased if somebody on the group, who has a better
> understanding of these, could comment/update the file!
>
> Ivan
>
> ----
> Ivan Herman, W3C
> Digital Publishing Activity Lead
> Home: http://www.w3.org/People/Ivan/
> mobile: +31-641044153
> ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0782-2704
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> - Nick Ruffilo
>
> @NickRuffilo
>
> http://Aerbook.com
>
> http://ZenOfTechnology.com <http://zenoftechnology.com/>
>
>
>



-- 
- Nick Ruffilo
@NickRuffilo
http://Aerbook.com
http://ZenOfTechnology.com <http://zenoftechnology.com/>