Re: [Handle-info] Look Ma, No Plugins!

["Hammond, Tony" <t.hammond@nature.com>]

Hi Sean:

Yes, I agree that a native JavaScript port would be ideal. Especially in
these times of rampant JS development with V8, TraceMonkey, SquirrelFish
Extreme, etc. promising near native code performance. (And mindful also of
the fact that JS is *the* Web language with support in all browsers.) I'm
not sure though that JS does support sockets. Googling around I found a
couple recent links to Flash [1] and AIR [2] based solutions. Not quite the
ticket but maybe something worth looking into?

And yes, this JavaScript module "openhandle.js" relies on an OpenHandle
service (and so, it is subject to scaling issues as you mention). However,
the huge advantage of being able to field and interact with Handle values as
"open" Web-based objects cannot be underestimated. And it allows Handle to
be fully engaged by the Web. I am hoping that this can only act as a
stimulus to apps using Handle more productively and for more interesting and
creative data storage and delivery solutions than has hitherto been the
case.

Cheers,

Tony

ps/
Btw, I just fixed a minor bug that was preventing the cards in the Inspector
app to be stacked correctly. (Now tested on IE7, Chrome, FF2/3, Opera,
Safari.)

There are some outstanding issues, e.g. error handling in the app. Also the
treatment of dates in the JavaScript module is a bit rough and ready - needs
to be addressed on the server side. (We exposed timestamps using the HCL
getTimeStampAsDate() method which uses the java.util.Date class. 'Nuff said.
Will expose later as integers and/or RFC822/ISO8601 objects.)
 

[1] jSocket, javascript with socket connectivity (May 8, 2008)
http://aidamina.blogspot.com/2008/05/jsocket-javascript-with-socket.html

[2] Communicate Using a Socket with JavaScript (August 28, 2008)
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/communityengine/index.cfm?event=showdetails&pro
ductId=4&postId=10567



On 22/9/08 20:01, "Sean Reilly" <sreilly@cnri.reston.va.us> wrote:

> Hi Tony,
> 
> Does your javascript library actually speak the handle protocol or
> does it require an openhandle service?  If the latter I would think
> that such a service would eventually have the same scaling issues the
> hdl.handle.net and dx.doi.org proxy services.  A full port of the HCL,
> or at least the resolution parts, to javascript would mean that the
> handles could be resolved natively from web browsers without requiring
> any centralized service and therefore in a more scalable, reliable
> way.  Of course it could fall back to openhandle or even a simple
> redirect to the handle proxy if native resolution wasn't possible.
> 
> Would you happen to know if it is possible to write a full handle
> client using javascript?  Is javascript permitted to perform HTTP
> queries (or even better, use TCP or UDP) to hosts other than the one
> from which it came?  I would think that a real native handle client,
> that speaks the handle protocol, in javascript could be incredibly
> useful.  If the network connection restrictions mentioned above aren't
> an issue then I would love to work on something like this.
> 
> Thanks,
> Sean
> 
> On Sep 22, 2008, at 9:53 AM, Hammond, Tony wrote:
> 
>> Hi:
>> 
>> Just posted this entry to CrossTech about JavaScript port of (part
>> of) the
>> (Java) HCL library.
>> 
>> September 22, 2008
>> Look Ma, No Plugins!
>> http://www.crossref.org/CrossTech/2008/09/look_ma_no_plugins.html
>> 
>> (The app mentioned at end of post is kind of fun.)
>> 
>> Tony
> 


********************************************************************************   
DISCLAIMER: This e-mail is confidential and should not be used by anyone who is
not the original intended recipient. If you have received this e-mail in error
please inform the sender and delete it from your mailbox or any other storage
mechanism. Neither Macmillan Publishers Limited nor any of its agents accept
liability for any statements made which are clearly the sender's own and not
expressly made on behalf of Macmillan Publishers Limited or one of its agents.
Please note that neither Macmillan Publishers Limited nor any of its agents
accept any responsibility for viruses that may be contained in this e-mail or
its attachments and it is your responsibility to scan the e-mail and 
attachments (if any). No contracts may be concluded on behalf of Macmillan 
Publishers Limited or its agents by means of e-mail communication. Macmillan 
Publishers Limited Registered in England and Wales with registered number 785998 
Registered Office Brunel Road, Houndmills, Basingstoke RG21 6XS   
********************************************************************************


_______________________________________________
Handle-Info mailing list
Handle-Info@cnri.reston.va.us
http://www.handle.net/mailman/listinfo/handle-info