The proposal for a W3C working group on this issue is found below. This is a copy of an early draft, and is not necessarily reflective of what's currently being proposed to the W3C leadership. Existing WGs related to this:
Specific W3C and related stuff that may be of interest:
Proposed WG charter The official site for the charter is at http://www.w3.org/2010/12/webrtc-charter.html - this copy, correct as of Feb 3, 2001, is here purely for convenience.
[DRAFT] Web Real-Time Communications Working Group CharterStatus: this is a draft charter based on ongoing discussions with Harald Alvestrand, following up on the RTC Web Workshop in October 2010. The mission of the Web Real-Time Communications Working Group, part of the Rich Web Client Activity, is to define client-side APIs to enable Real Time Communications in Web browsers. These APIs should enable building applications that can be run inside a browser, requiring no extra downloads or plugins, that allow communication between parties using audio, video and supplementary real-time communication, without having to use intervening servers (unless needed for firewall traversal, or for providing intermediary services). Join the Web Real-Time Communications Working Group.
ScopeEnabling real-time communications between Web browsers require the following client-side technologies to be available:
Success CriteriaTo advance to Proposed Recommendation, each specification is expected to have two independent implementations of each feature defined in the specification. To advance to Proposed Recommendation, interoperability between the independent implementations (that is, bidirectional audio and video communication between the implementations) should be demonstrated. DeliverablesRecommendation-Track DeliverablesThe working group will deliver specifications that cover at least the following functions, unless they are found to be fully specified within other working groups' finished results:
The working group may decide to group the specified functions in one or more specifications. While the specified APIs will not constrain implementations into supporting a specific profile, they will be compatible with the Profile that will be specified by the IETF @@@ Working Group. The specified APIs and the requirements on their implementation must offer functionality that ensures that users' expectations of privacy and control over their devices are met - this includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that users are assured at all times that they know what media they are transmitting, and are able to find out who they are transmitting media to. Similarly, all the deliverables must address issues of security - this includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that arbitrary UDP packets cannot be sent to arbitrary destinations and ports. Other DeliverablesA comprehensive test suite for all features of a specification is necessary to ensure the specification's robustness, consistency, and implementability, and to promote interoperability between User Agents. Therefore, each specification must have a companion test suite, which should be completed by the end of the Last Call phase, and must be completed, with an implementation report, before transition from Candidate Recommendation to Proposed Recommendation. Additional tests may be added to the test suite at any stage of the Recommendation track, and the maintenance of a implementation report is encouraged. Other non-normative documents may be created such as:
Given sufficient resources, this Working Group should review other working groups' deliverables that are identified as being relevant to the Working Group's mission. MilestonesNote: The actual production of some of the deliverables may follow a different timeline. The group will document any schedule changes on the group home page. TODO: depends on charter review and actual group starting date. Dependencies and LiaisonsW3C Groups
External Groups
ParticipationTo be successful, the Web Real-Time Communications Working Group is expected to have 10 or more active participants for its duration. Effective participation to Web Real-Time Communications Working Group is expected to consume one work day per week for each participant; two days per week for editors. The Web Real-Time Communications Working Group will allocate also the necessary resources for building Test Suites for each specification. Participants are reminded of the Good Standing requirements of the W3C Process. CommunicationThis group primarily conducts its work on the public mailing list @@@. The group uses a Member-confidential mailing list for administrative purposes and, at the discretion of the Chairs and participants of the group, for Member-only discussions in special cases when a particular participant requests such a discussion. Information about the group (deliverables, participants, face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, etc.) is available from the Web Real-Time Communications Working Group home page. Decision PolicyAs explained in the Process Document (section 3.3), this group will seek to make decisions when there is consensus. When the Chair puts a question and observes dissent, after due consideration of different opinions, the Chair should record a decision (possibly after a formal vote) and any objections, and move on. Patent PolicyThis Working Group operates under the W3C Patent Policy (5 February 2004 Version). To promote the widest adoption of Web standards, W3C seeks to issue Recommendations that can be implemented, according to this policy, on a Royalty-Free basis. For more information about disclosure obligations for this group, please see the W3C Patent Policy Implementation. About this CharterThis charter for the Web Real-Time Communications Working Group has been created according to section 6.2 of the Process Document. In the event of a conflict between this document or the provisions of any charter and the W3C Process, the W3C Process shall take precedence. Dominique Hazaël-Massieux, based on initial input from Harald Alvestrand Copyright ©2011 W3C® (MIT, ERCIM, Keio), All Rights Reserved. $Date: 2011/02/03 22:14:05 $ |