Blobs: An alternate (complementary?) binary data proposal (Was: File IO...)

Hi everyone,

> Opera has a proposal for a specification that would revive (and supersede)
> the file upload API that has been lingering so long as a work item.

The Gears team has also been putting together a proposal for file
access which overlaps in some ways with Opera's, but is also
orthogonal in some ways:

http://code.google.com/p/google-gears/wiki/BlobWebAPIPropsal

I would summarize the key differences this way:

* We introduce a new interface - a blob - that represents an immutable
chunk of (potentially large) binary data
* We propose adding the ability to get and send blobs to many
different APIs, including XHR, the <input type="file"> element,
database, <canvas>, etc.
* We attempt far less interaction with the filesystem (just extending
the input element and allowing exporting a blob to a file).

To answer one of Maciej's questions from the other thread, we intend
this for use on the open web and do not intend for it to require any
particular security authorization.

We would also love feedback, and would like to work with any
interested vendors to iterate this to something others would
implement.

Thanks,

- a

Received on Thursday, 8 May 2008 05:09:41 UTC