Re: Do we need capabilities?

On 01/24/2012 02:35 PM, Adam Bergkvist wrote:
> On 01/24/2012 01:26 PM, Harald Alvestrand wrote:
>> On 01/24/2012 10:18 AM, Neil Stratford wrote:
>>> On 24/01/2012 03:04, Anant Narayanan wrote:
>>>> (Starting as a separate thread, to document objections to
>>>> getCapabilities)
>>>
>>>> 1. I think we can all agree that exposing capabilities without user
>>>> consent of any form is not what we really want. If the current
>>>> getCapabilities() is able to be invoked by any web page without any
>>>> indication to the user, it is a massive privacy invasion. Ad services
>>>> will then be able to add more bits of reliable information in order
>>>> to personally identify visitors (they already know too much!).
>>>
>>> I agree, getCapabilities() does require user approval, which could
>>> also be used to pre-approve access for a later getUserMeida() request.
>> Hmm..... perhaps this is a place where we can recast the language of
>> discourse....
>>
>> if getCapabilities() did what getUserMedia() does now, and takes
>> parameters saying what kind of stuff it wants (audio&  video), and the
>> user dialog gives the user the chance to select which units it wishes to
>> expose to this application, then getUserMedia() can select freely from
>> the devices to which it has been permitted access, and can explore the
>> properties of devices without disturbing the user further....?
>
> What would be the difference to simply calling getUserMedia() as it's 
> specified today and then remove all the tracks you don't need?
1) Don't have to initialize those devices you intend to remove
2) Don't have to get into trouble trying to reserve (say) one camera 
that's available under 2 names twice
3) Can take "camera now, microphone later" instead of having to grab 
everything at once
4) Logical interface to "new device": Browser signals "I may have 
something new for you" (note - this doesn't exist yet), you call 
GetCapabilities again, user picks the new device as available to your 
app, app does the right thing - but if no change is warranted, no need 
to drop the old devices.

This is off the top of my head, as was the original thought. It's 
brainstorming.

Received on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 13:52:21 UTC