Re: WhatTF > EXTF

On Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 6:00 PM, Rossen Atanassov <
Rossen.Atanassov@microsoft.com> wrote:

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rossen Atanassov [mailto:Rossen.Atanassov@microsoft.com]
> > Sent: Monday, December 8, 2014 4:49 PM
> > To: public-wtf@w3.org
> > Subject: WhatTF > EXTF
> >
> > Since it is all about the extensibility of CSS we propose to rename the
> > taskforce to Extensibility Taskforce or EXTF for short (the extf.org is
> already
> > secured by us).
> >
> > Opinions?
>
> Given that this is mostly CSS folks the level of bikesheding is so far as
> expected. We should try and close the topic soon in order to move to the
> more productive phase of this TF as well as create all the necessary
> entities - list, wiki, hg etc. Most people I spoke with like or can live
> with [1] (despite it is generic) thus we can stick with it if there's no
> better runner up or somebody objects strongly.
>
> Here's a summary of names being proposed so far.
>
> [1] EXTF - Extensibility Task Force
> Pros: The name is pretty open-ended and describes what part of CSS we're
> after. We have the domain and mostly everything set to get going (
> wiki.extf.org as well as a Mercurial repo at https://hg.extf.org/drafts)
> Cons: too generic.
>
> [2] DSSTF - Deeper in StyleSheets Task Force
> Pros: Shows we want to take CSS to "next level" because of the letter
> increment. And pun intended.
> Cons: The TF focus is not about stylesheets only.
>
> [3] LTTF - Layout Tree Task Force
> Cons: the abbreviation collides with the Learning Technology Task Force (
> www.lttf.org)
>
> [4] XCSSTF - Extensible CSS
> was proposed on IRC. (Any resemblance to other specs, living or dead,
> could not be merely coincidental.)
>
> [5] LLCSSTF - Low-Level CSS Task Force
> Pros: Inspired by "LLVM".
> Cons: "level" already means another thing in CSS specs. Tong twister.
>
> [6] LLLAPITF of LLLATF - Low-Level Layout API (for Web) Task Force
> We usually call the kernel of a browser "layout engine", and it is the
> low-level API hooked into the the engine's layout algorithm. However the
> name is not obviously related to web or CSS, maybe "Low-Level Layout API
> for Web" is better?
> Const: Tong twister
>
> [7] PCSSTF - Programmable CSS Task Force
> This is easy to understand and retains the keyword "CSS". There is already
> a (less powerful) JS API for CSS - CSSOM, so this name looks like an
> enhancement to CSSOM, maybe good or not.
>
> Thanks,
> Rossen
>


I'd like to suggest something completely different while we have 1000
options on the table.  Instead of YASUA (Yet another stupid unpronounceable
acronym) which we will bikeshed meanings about for all eternity, let's just
give it an abstract code-name - there's a rich history of doing this in
software (and in standards - HTML 3.2 was code named "Wilbur" and the next
was named "Cougar").

Let's just call it "Project Houdini".  Houdini was an illusionist, not a
magician.  He was a great explainer of anything claiming to be 'magic' and
belonged to a Scientific American committee which publicly offered a prize
to anyone who could demonstrate something supernatural.  The aim of this
task force, I think, is to somehow (in the words of the Extensible Web
Manifesto) explain (and expose) the underlying magic of the platform and
allow extensibility in the one place in the platform which has been
historically a little hostile to such ideas.

Before anyone asks, yes, this is a serious proposal - it's absolutely no
worse than TAGCSSEXTTF or ASDFAISHE or EXTASHI or whatever else anyone is
proposing - at least people can pronounce it, it's meaningful and has the
bonus of being interesting and fun while still entirely serious.

-- 
Brian Kardell :: @briankardell :: hitchjs.com