On 2/21/14 1:33 PM, ext Marcos Caceres wrote:
## Recommendations to implementers/W3C
>From our findings, this is what we would recommend implementers and the W3C
consider when standardizing this technology.
* It has to be possible for users to follow hyperlinks in standalone
applications. Even though iOS doesn't support this functionality, the data
clearly shows developers rely on this core capability of the Web.
* It needs to be possible to open some links in the system default browser: it
doesn't make sense to open some links, like ads, within the application.
* It has to be possible to open a browser window within the application: this
is to allow OAuth style authentication (which are blocked from working in
iframes).
* It needs to be possible for the user to navigate "back". A significant number of a
apps, unfortunately, leave users stranded without a way to "go back" in their browsing
history. This is sometimes outside the developers control (e.g., an authentication screen at a
different domain doesn't support going back). Having some ability to always go back seems critical
to make this class of web application usable by the general public.
* Do not expect, or encourage, developers to create single page applications.
Some will, but they will likely do it wrong. Most everyone won't: it's too
hard, unnecessary, and evidently error prone.
* Don't expect applications will have good metadata or icons.
* Automatically generated metadata and template engines will likely be an
issue. A lot of sites don't seem to test (or might not even know) that their
websites supports running as standalone.
* To avoid the issue of UA-specific pop-up banners, a standard way to "install"
an application is needed: either through and API and/or some declarative means.
* It needs to be possible to be able to jump between web apps and native apps
without requiring the developers to constantly save state. That is, leaving a
standalone web application should work the same as jumping from one browser tab
to another in a desktop browser.
Marcos - which items require standardization and which items are better
left for implementation choices?
-Thanks, AB
