[whatwg] Suggestion for a Specification: XUL Basic

[Matthew Raymond]

    I propose that the WHAT WG work on a specification for a subset of 
Mozilla XUL that for the purposes of this message I will call XUL Basic. 
XUL Basic will actually be the combination of two smaller XUL subsets 
which I will refer to as "Keymaster" and "Gatekeeper".

=== "KEYMASTER" ===

    The first subset, "Keymaster", is designed for use in tandem with 
XHTML. The idea is to create a subset that can be used in a mixed 
XUL+XHTML environment to enhance existing XHTML web applications with 
controls that don't exist in XHTML 1.0 itself.

Here is the list of elements:

    box
    hbox
    menu
    menubar
    menuitem
    menupopup
    menuseparator
    tab
    tabbox
    tabpanel
    tabpanels
    tabs
    vbox

    "Keymaster" is intended for inclusion in browsers and other programs 
that already support XHTML or another language with similar features. 
This subset is compatible with the existing XUL motors Luxor XUL Toolkit 
and Zulu:

    http://luxor-xul.sourceforge.net/
    http://zulu.netspedition.com/zulu/main/overview.shtml

=== "GATEKEEPER" ===

    The second subset, "Gatekeeper", is designed to provide basic 
support for forms that are similar in features to those you can 
currently create using HTML. This subset allows the creation of simple 
XUL-based web applications contained in their own dialogs or windows.

Here is the list of XUL elements:

    button
    checkbox
    column
    columns
    description
    dialog
    hbox
    image
    label
    menuitem
    menulist
    menupopup
    radio
    radiogroup
    row
    rows
    separator
    spacer
    textbox
    vbox
    window

    Nearly the entire "Gatekeeper" XUL subset is supported by 
Macromedia's XML2UI (which I believe is part of Flash MX 2004. See the 
following page for details:

http://garland.duramedia.net/pipermail/extendflash_flashguru.co.uk/20040419/000734.html

    XML2UI doesn't support description, image or window. We could 
theoretically make this part of the specification optional, but I'm not 
convinced that it's necessary. The element menupopup is supported in the 
form "menupop". I don't see the point in changing the name of the tag to 
save two characters, personally. Macromedia should be reasonably capable 
of updating Flash MX 2004 to meet this potential specification.

=== XUL BASIC ===

    XUL Basic is the combining of the above two specifications. It 
allows menus, tabs, dialogs and every type of control currently 
supported by HTML, and it does it all with 32 tags. The two subset 
approach allows developers to pick the subset that would be most 
advantageous to implement, then go back and add the other subset when 
they have the resources.

    XUL Basic is intended to be similar to XHTML Basic. It would serve 
as a core standard for XUL support that would be relatively easy to 
approve compared to a full specification of Mozilla XUL. Once approved, 
other modules could be added to form a more complete specification of XUL.

=== In Closing... ===

    I'm not entirely sure this is in the scope of the WHAT WG's charter. 
Let me know if this is not the case. I felt this idea was important 
enough to present on this mailing list, so I went ahead and posted. If 
there is a more appropriate venue for this message, please let me know. 
Thoughts, comments and constructive criticism are welcome.