[webkit-dev] pointer events specification - first editors draft

[Adam Barth]

It looks like this thread got dropped over Thanksgiving.  (Responses inline.)

On Thu, Nov 22, 2012 at 1:43 PM, Benjamin Poulain <benjamin at webkit.org> wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 2:42 PM, Rick Byers <rbyers at chromium.org> wrote:
>> Outside of the design details, are there any thoughts or concerns
>> about WebKit getting an implementation of pointer events at some
>> point?
>
> In my opinion, the pointer events spec is a bad idea (at least, in its
> current state). I think adding it to WebKit would be hurting both the Web
> and WebKit.
>
> The premise of the specification is that using mouse event and touch events
> interchangeably is needed. In reality, nobody was really asking for that
> because it is a terrible idea. You can already easily unify pen, touch and
> mouse by writing very little JavaScript, but it is only useful in very few
> cases.
>
> For the common case, where you want to use touch and mouse events
> differently, the pointer events makes it harder to write correct code. Each
> event have a set of attributes with different meaning depending on the event
> type.

I'm sympathetic to these concerns, but, unfortunately, I don't see any
other path that leads to interoperability with Internet Explorer.

As far as I can tell, the underlying problem is that Apple as not made
the usual IPR commitments regarding touch events.  For example, Apple
has not joined the Web Events Working Group in the W3C [1].  As a
result, Microsoft has chosen to implement pointer events in Internet
Explorer rather than touch events.  Moreover, Microsoft has been
willing to support the openness of the web platform by joining the
Pointer Events Working Group in the W3C [2].

Do you see another path that leads to interoperability?

> I also think there are some serious issues with the spec.

If you would like to provide technical feedback about the
specification, please join the W3C Pointer Events Working Group and
provide the feedback in that forum.

Adam

[1] http://www.w3.org/2000/09/dbwg/details?group=45559&public=1&gs=1
[2] http://www.w3.org/2000/09/dbwg/details?group=59096&public=1&gs=1