Re: Futures (was: Request for JSON-LD API review)

HI Anne and Mark,

You both make good points:  Mark is correct when he suggests that a
DOMFuture spec will effectively undercut TC39's role in designing a
future/promise API.  It will also set a precedent (one that is perhaps
already in motion) where TC39 is relegated to syntax-only enhancements and
playing catch-up with platforms continually performing an end-run.

And Anne is certainly correct to point out that TC39 has not, as of yet,
been able to provide the base-platform APIs that developer-facing platforms
so badly need.

On the other hand, TC39 has done an *amazing* job with the ES6 language.
 The usability improvements are striking and the module system will be
exceptional.

It appears to me that what we are missing is a group sitting somewhere
between TC39 and W3C, perhaps incorporating members of both.  This group
would be responsible for designing the EcmaScript base platform API upon
which developer-facing implementations can rely.  It would iterate more
quickly than TC39, but unlike W3C its scope would include all
EcmaScript-hosting platforms.  It would also share TC39's charge of
maintaining the conceptual integrity of the language.

I nominate myself ; )

Ultimately, our goals are the same: a well-designed, conceptually
consistent language and development platform.  We just need the right
structure to make that happen.

Regarding futures specifically, for now I think any standardization
discussions should be moved to es-discuss (or at least dual-homed there),
as it is currently the only accepted public forum for platform-agnostic ES
standards work.

{ Kevin }