[webkit-dev] setTimeout as browser speed throttle

[Peter Kasting]

On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 7:14 PM, Maciej Stachowiak <mjs at apple.com> wrote:

> I agree with you that web content authors should have a way to get called
> back ASAP. It seems like we have three different proposals identified that
> most have agreed are worth pursuing:
>
> 1) Design an improved timer API that is object-oriented and supports high
> resolution, with no artificial lower limit. Propose for HTML5, implement in
> WebKit, encourage other browser vendors to implement it. Am I right that
> there's rough consensus we should do this? If so, I can circulate a rough
> cut proposal on this list, and then move discussion of this idea to the
> WHATWG.
>
> 2) Consider making WebKit's default minimum timer limit lower - something
> like 3ms-5ms. I don't know what we would do to verify that this is "safe
> enough" or who would do the work. Maybe Hyatt?
>
> 3) Determine whether other browser vendors would be willing to change the
> minimum timeout for setTimeout and setInterval (which would not eliminate
> the risk with legacy content but would reduce its severity over time). If
> others agree this is worth pursuing, I can at least ask on the HTML WG
> mailing list.
>

These all seem like avenues worth pursuing.  I can try and get more data
about the impact, both positive and negative, of setTimeout()/setInterval()
changes; hopefully that will help make the discussions of (2) and (3) a bit
more concrete.

Now if only I could get all the browser vendors to agree on their minimum
GIF frame durations :D

PK
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