Thread Subject: Re: Concerns about our current definition of a"platform"

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From: Gregg Vanderheiden
Date: Sun, Aug 26 2007 10:40 PM

You are indeed correct. I did edit the wrong one.





Here are edits applied on your latest.


*Platform software*:
collection of software components that runs on an underlying
software or
hardware layer, and that provides a set of software services to
applications which allows them to be isolated from the underlying
software or hardware layer.

* Note 1: For our purposes, it is those software
components/services
provided to applications for the creation or
manipulation of user
interfaces and user input - that impact accessibility -
which are
of concern for whether something is a platform or not. An
application offering a compute service, such as a 3d rendering
engine where a requesting application isn't using the software
components/services to create a user interface and interact with
the user, should not be considered a "platform".
* Note 2: If applications typically connect directly to the
underlying layer, rather than relying solely on the platform
software components and services, then it is likely that the
software components in the middle are not acting as a
"platform".
For example, a program which hosts plug-in's is not a
platform if
the plug-in can directly access the underlying layer.
* Note 3: A particular software component may play the role of a
platform in some situations and not in others. Platforms can
include such things as Internet browsers, operating systems,
plug-ins to internet browsers or other software
applications, and
under some situations, byte-code interpreted virtual
environments,
and other "programming within another programming" environments.



Gregg
-- ------------------------------
Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf
> Of Peter Korn
> Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 9:55 PM
> To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
> Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Concerns about our current
> definition of a"platform"
>
> Gregg,
>
> You provided edits to the version in the 17Aug draft, not to
> the proposal I put forth. Was that your intention? The key
> for me is what the platform provides that defines it as a
> platform (with what the bulk of applications use cementing
> that definition or countering it). With such a definition,
> we can then place requirements on anything that is a platform
> (by that definition).
>
> Going into "partially", and "acting as", and "for those
> aspects of an application" complicates matters significantly.
> And I don't see what we gain by doing that. If something is
> trying to be a platform, then it should obey the platform rules.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Peter Korn
> Accessibility Architect,
> Sun Microsystems, Inc.
>

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