[Bug 25661] New: Allow algorithms to be implemented "as if", rather than strict adherance

https://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=25661

            Bug ID: 25661
           Summary: Allow algorithms to be implemented "as if", rather
                    than strict adherance
           Product: Web Cryptography
           Version: unspecified
          Hardware: PC
                OS: All
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Web Cryptography API Document
          Assignee: sleevi@google.com
          Reporter: sleevi@google.com
                CC: public-webcrypto@w3.org

The specification provides a variety of procedural steps ("algorithms") that a
UA is expected to implement to conform to the API. Because these steps are
normative requirements, the specification would appear to be recommending a
precise adherence to each of the individual steps.

This is not the intent of the editors or the WG, as it's meant to be
permissable to implement in any manner a UA sees fit, provided that the
external effects remain the same.

An example of such language is in the HTML spec,
http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/multipage/infrastructure.html#conformance-requirements
, which states

"Conformance requirements phrased as algorithms or specific steps may be
implemented in any manner, so long as the end result is equivalent. (In
particular, the algorithms defined in this specification are intended to be
easy to follow, and not intended to be performant.)"

Such language is desirable, however, an ambiguity exists - not only is the "end
result" expected to be equivalent, but the script-observable effects should
also be equivalent.

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Received on Monday, 12 May 2014 17:08:15 UTC