Re: [9fans] web-based plan 9?

[Skip Tavakkolian <9nut@9netics.com>]

just to be clear, i think webtop or web based approach is a backward
step (or at least a side step).  the whole point of plan9 is to
represent everything as a namespace; in rangboom it means representing
distant filesystems in the native form, hence use of windows IFS and
FUSE for Linux and Mac.  this would let the user use their existing
applications.

some users have a prejudice: they like to see anything that is not
local inside the browser.  a browser is also the only option
for most mobile devices and kiosks. so, some web access is needed.

>> I've toyed with the idea of a webtop interface to Inferno (that I
>> suppose could easily have a similar implementation on Plan 9):
>>
>>       http://graverobbers.blogspot.com/2008/04/service-oriented-file-systems.html
>>
>> I'm sure the Plan B/Octopus guys have some thoughts here as well.
>
> we're slowly working toward that for rangboom.  we use Yahoo's YUI js
> libraries.  they encapsulate many useful js widgets like rich text
> editor, menus, etc..  for rangboom, once the user is logged in from
> the web interface it's basically javascript and xml (because all
> browser/js can grok xml).  the javascript in the namespace page
> includes the full "api".
>
> this is what is needed (and worked on):
>
> cgifs: mostly done thanks to fgb. i'll put it up soon.
> rit: already available thanks to kenji
> filterfs: sythesize a filesystem from other fs and rc filters. could use
> 	exportfs as a start. design in mind, no code yet.  at one
> 	point ehg mentioned such a thing at Labs.
> sessionfs: keep continuity of http session for factotum.
> 	design in mind, no code yet.
> httpd: modifications similar to pegasus to start httpd for an authenticated
> 	user with that user's credentials. not done.
>
> with filterfs in place one can generate bits of js code along with
> html for the type of files being accessed, or views being looked
> at; but would still require a good bit more js code.