[Webkit-unassigned] [Bug 6872] use DNS SRV records as part of the fallback process for domain names

Wed May 5 01:42:20 PDT 2010

https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6872

crazytonyi at gmail.com changed:

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--- Comment #5 from crazytonyi at gmail.com  2010-05-05 01:42:20 PST ---
To Alexey and any other interested developers:

I find it interesting that you dismiss this request as a Safari implementation
rather than see it as a needed feature for WebKit. I would tend to agree, since
WebKit is a layout engine, and thus shouldn't be dealing with issues at the DNS
level. However, perhaps you forgot to inform the Chrome developers over at
Google, as they shirked their responsibility for implementing DNS SRV support
onto WebKit. This is how I found this bug, as a matter of fact...

http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=22423

My problem with this lack of ownership of this issue--nay, feature--is not just
the embarrassing bug-passing, not unlike when my phone service provider blames
Nokia for a missing feature while Nokia swears this feature could only be
locked by the provider (etc). 

My problem isn't just with the fact that this has been an ongoing outcry from
users across the board: developers and system admins and the geek chic who just
would like a more reliable web. An outcry for over 10 years.

My problem is not based on the fact that this feature request keeps being
dismissed as a "bug-fix"-- although, this is HUGE-ly annoying and almost
offensive. I can pull a DNS-SRV request right now from either of my OS's
without a problem, so to suggest a bug, as though browser's just haven't quite
caught up to this advanced technology, is just sad. The real bug is the low
priority being placed on this...

My problem is this:

WebKit was meant to be the product of brilliant minds from all major tech
industries working to create a unified and evolving vision of the perfect
browser. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but this was the gist of the project.
And while Google and Apple may be rivals, and while consumers debate over the
newest Symbian from Nokia or the iPhone or Android, what they all share is
WebKit. And with Epiphany's decision to abandon Gecko and go with WebKit,
several other alternative browsers are making the same switch.

My problem is that WebKit promises to be everywhere very soon. While Mozilla
has a strong and solid reputation that will keep Firefox as a popular choice,
most users will either be on Chrome or Safari on their desktop and some WebKit
browser on their mobile. Even if Apple and Google have to split the vote and
leave Firefox as the winning browser, in reality it is WebKit that will be the
winner, whether end-users are aware of this or not.

My problem is that WebKit stands to see their vision through, and yet such a
sought after feature like reliable connections via a smarter DNS lookup is just
dismissed as something for Safari (or Chrome, or Nokia) to implement. Perhaps
one of them will, or perhaps Mozilla will beat them all to the punch, but it
should be fairly obvious that all other browsers will scramble to catch up.

So why not make it a WebKit feature instead, and advance so many browsers at
once and have Mozilla and Opera scrambling to be ahead of the curve for once? 

If it can't be done at the WebKit level, you know as well as I do it can be
mandated at the WebKit level.

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