[whatwg] Proposal for IsSearchProviderInstalled / AddSearchProvider

[David Levin]

On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Bjartur Thorlacius <svartman95 at gmail.com>wrote:

> > 2. When a user decides to use it, they have to follow a set of complex
>
> instructions (http://www.google.com/search?q=switch+default+search+engines
> )
> >
> Annoying implementation issue. http://bugzilla.mozilla.com/enter_bug.cgi
> mailto:implementors at lists.whatwg.org


It is still complicated in all browsers, so I wasn't trying to point out
flaws in any particular browser -- only that it is complicated and hard for
users to do.


 On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Bjartur Thorlacius <svartman95 at gmail.com>
 wrote:

> > IsSearchProviderInstalled(string url)
> This seems like a slight privacy violation. Not a serious one, but nothing
> I'd
> like to be explicitly exposed.


Note that it only tells a search engine if they are the default. They cannot
query about other search engines.


On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 1:48 PM, Kornel Lesiński <kornel at geekhood.net>
 wrote:
>
> There are many many sites that dream they were used as a default search
> engine, but their use of this API is only going to annoy or confuse users.
>

This should be rare as annoying and confusing your users typically isn't a
good business strategy.


On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 9:42 AM, Bjartur Thorlacius <svartman95 at gmail.com>
 wrote:

> >
> https://sites.google.com/a/chromium.org/dev/developers/design-documents/chromium-search-provider-js-support
> Frankly, this reminds me of the security UI of Windows Vista. ...
>
On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 1:48 PM, Kornel Lesiński <kornel at geekhood.net>
 wrote:

>  Change of default search engine may have security implications


I understand your concern. In this case, the UI is similar to what happens
in many browsers when AddSearchProvider is called in response to a user
action. In addition, the default is to not change anything.

Yet, we are discussing one possible UI of many that I simply gave as one
possible example. It is completely up to the UA to decide what to do in this
case. I look forward to others proposing other solutions too in this regard.


On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 1:48 PM, Kornel Lesiński <kornel at geekhood.net>
 wrote:

>  You don't change that often, and there are only few search engines that
> make sense to be set as the default one. Browsers can simply ship with
> predefined set of engines, and that may be easiest and safest option for
> users.
>

If a UA wanted to limit this to only be available to a predefined set of
search engines, that would be possible.  It is up to the UA to decide what
to do. Technically a "AddSearchProvider" that did nothing ever would be
conforming though certainly against the spirit of the api.


Best wishes,
dave