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B2G/FAQ: Difference between revisions
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Boot to Gecko Project (B2G) | Boot to Gecko Project (B2G) | ||
'''- What is Boot to Gecko?''' | '''- What is Boot to Gecko?''' | ||
Boot to Gecko (B2G) is an early-stage, exploratory project with the goal of building a complete, standalone operating system for the open web. It is not a product offering, but if successful, could form the basis for one. | Boot to Gecko (B2G) is an early-stage, exploratory project with the goal of building a complete, standalone operating system for the open web. It is not a product offering, but if successful, could form the basis for one. | ||
'''- Could you explain what the overall aim is with the project? What problems are you keen to address with it?''' | |||
We believe that the next frontier for Web applications is full device integration, so that Web developers have the same capabilities as those building for OS-specific stacks. Boot To Gecko is intended to identify those missing device capabilities and other application needs, and design standardized solutions for app developers to use.<br> | |||
'''- When can we expect to see something?''' | '''- When can we expect to see something?''' | ||
We're very early in the project, soliciting suggestions and contributions from a lot of people. | We're very early in the project, soliciting suggestions and contributions from a lot of people. As we have more specific estimates for different pieces of functionality, they'll be shared widely. | ||
'''- What is the size of the team working on this project?''' | '''- What is the size of the team working on this project?''' | ||
It's very small right now: just 3 people working part time, but we're looking to ramp up and as an open project we are actively inviting participation of developers, designers, and others from across the Web. | It's very small right now: just 3 people working part time, but we're looking to ramp up and as an open project we are actively inviting participation of developers, designers, and others from across the Web. We're seeing lots of excitement and offers of help already, and we're also obviously leaning heavily on the existing Gecko and Firefox mobile work. | ||
'''- Why are you doing this now?''' | '''- Why are you doing this now?''' | ||
We believe that the next frontier for Web applications is full device integration, so that Web developers have the same capabilities as those building for OS-specific stacks. | We believe that the next frontier for Web applications is full device integration, so that Web developers have the same capabilities as those building for OS-specific stacks. | ||
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We don't expect that it will affect our relationships with other organizations. | We don't expect that it will affect our relationships with other organizations. | ||
'''- Does this replace work that's already being done on Web APIs for desktop and mobile?''' | '''- Does this replace work that's already being done on Web APIs for desktop and mobile?''' | ||
We are already pushing hard on new Web APIs, and have been for some time. We'll continue to implement and standardize new APIs for Web content while the B2G project ramps up. | |||
'''- How is this different than the Webian Shell project?''' | |||
The Webian shell is an impressive project even in its early stages. Where Webian is focused on a Web-centric desktop experience, we're focused on extending the Web to include more of what is traditionally the domain of OS-specific code. We think we can work together on a bunch of things, and we're looking forward to it. | |||
'''- How is this different from Chrome OS?''' | |||
We’re aiming at mobile/tablet devices rather than a notebook form factor. This is an early-stage project to expose all device capabilities such that infrastructure like phone dialers can be built with Web APIs, and not only “high level” apps like word processors and presentation software. We will of course be happy to work with the Chrome OS team on standards activities, and indeed to share source code where appropriate. | |||
'''- Do you see B2G as co-existing with other mobile OSes, or competing with them?''' | |||
Ideally, the technology pioneered or refined in B2G will make its way into all mobile browsers, so that enhanced open web applications can be great regardless of operating system or device. We look forward to working with other OS and browser developers on standards activities and even implementations.<br> | |||
'''- Are OEMs interested in B2G?''' | |||
This is an early-stage project. We just got started, so we haven’t had any of those discussions yet. If an OEM shares our vision of a standard and open platform from top to bottom, we’d be happy to work together to get such a platform into the hands of users. | |||
'''- Whose hardware will you support?''' | |||
We’ll be selecting initial hardware for hackability and general availability, but we haven’t settled on that yet. A Tegra 2 device is likely to be selected, due to its support for VP8 hardware acceleration. Over time we expect that B2G will work on the majority of devices that support modern Android versions. | |||
- '''The web's key strength - when it's working properly, anyway - is that you write code once and it runs anywhere, no matter what browser, OS, computer configuration you have. Isn't B2G just introducing yet another platform for devs to code for?''' | |||
' | No, B2G is definitely not designed to be another platform. It's a project to extend what developers can do with the web, especially in the context of mobile devices, and to do so in a way that leads to interoperable standards. Just as with HTML5, ES5, CSS3 and other web technology it will reach different browsers and operating systems at different times, but the pace of web platform development gives us confidence that good web technology can reach a lot of people pretty quickly. We don't want B2G to lead to applications that only run atop B2G, or only run in Firefox. That's an important difference between what we're doing and proprietary mobile stacks today: we don't want a competitive advantage for Mozilla, we want a competitive advantage for the web. <br> | ||
- '''It took the might of Google to turn mobile Linux into the all-conquering Android. Can B2G scale without a similarly deep-pocketed partner? How do you think you'll get the mobile manufacturers and carriers on board with this?''' | |||
' | B2G is designed to build on the success of the web, and given the early stage of the project it could reach users in many forms. We're certainly interested in working with OEMs and others who share our vision of even greater success for web-based applications.<br> | ||
'''One of the aims of B2G is to create web APIs for access to core mobile device features - cameras, USB, etc. Given that on desktops we've been increasingly sandboxing the browser to ensure web apps don't compromise security, couldn't that raise security issues?''' | |||
'' | It absolutely raises security issues, and they're ones that we are taking very seriously. Installing applications on a mobile device right now (or on a desktop operating system for that matter) raises similar security issues, and we're looking at ways to improve on those existing models.<br> | ||
'''What would B2G offer mobile users that HTML5 doesn't?''' | |||
B2G would offer mobile users all the power of HTML5, extended with device capabilities like Bluetooth and SMS, a richer capability model for interaction with the filesystem, and a way to tie these "native HTML5 apps" together. The intent is very much that B2G lead to improved capabilities for the web platform, not that it replace HTML5 or related tech in any way. Many of these new capabilities will also make sense in desktop browsers, and we look forward to seeing them there as well.<br> | |||
'''- Will this mean a Firefox Phone?''' | |||
We don’t have any plans to build or distribute a custom device.<br> | |||
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