DesktopCouchWishList

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So, in reverse order of preference, the solution I would like is: So:
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 * Change from opt-out to opt-in, eg have '''included_names''' rather than '''excluded_names'''
 * Preferably, the '''included_names''' list should be stored in a non-replicated '''_local/foo''' document, or local file
 * Preferably, change from opt-out to opt-in, eg have '''included_names''' rather than '''excluded_names'''
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The last point needs some explanation. Currently the opt-out list is stored in a replicated document in the '''management''' database, which syncs through !UbuntuOne to all devices. This means that all devices get the same set of databases, which doesn't always make sense as not all devices will have the apps that use those databases. This is particularly an issue with mobile devices, when syncing unnecessary databases will needlessly burn through precious storage, bandwidth, and CPU time. Note that tablets in particular are a ''very'' high priority for Novacut. The 2nd point needs some explanation. It doesn't make sense to sync all databases to all devices as not all devices will have the apps that use those databases. This is particularly an issue with mobile devices, when syncing unnecessary databases will needlessly burn through precious storage, bandwidth, and CPU time. Note that tablets in particular are a ''very'' high priority for Novacut.
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There is also a security and privacy issue here. Whether opt-in or opt-out, if this critical decision is stored in a replicated document, an attacker need only gain control of a single device or service to cause other devices to replicate databases intended to be local-only.
A device can easily supply the databases it wants synced as that's local information based on the apps installed, etc; however, a device has no way of knowing what databases it should opt-out of.
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So that the lightweight !JavaScript CouchDB adapter that ships with dmedia would be available at, say: So that the `couch.js` file that ships with dmedia would be available at, say:

This is where I'm keeping my notes on changes I would like to see in desktopcouch based on my experience working on dmedia. Note that this is written out of love of desktopcouch, despite being a list of pain points I would like to see changed.

May Stuart and Jason's bromance continue.

Intro

Both dmedia and Novacut use an architecture like this:

novacut-dmedia.png

Key features being:

  • Backend components that must talk to both desktopcouch and vanilla CouchDB
  • HTML UI components that must run in both embedded WebKit and regular browsers, must talk to both desktopcouch and vanilla CouchDB

To do this, dmedia has rolled it's own way to abstract away the "desktop" part of desktopcouch, something which is basically possible, but is a bit fragile and hacky. In the O cycle, I'd really love for the following to happen:

  1. Remove the reconnection hack (ie, have desktopcouch port remain stable throughout session)... this is the one thing dmedia can't abstract away
  2. Move dmedia abstractions to standalone project/package so this pattern can be reused by other projects, and so the desktopcouch team has a stable, simple target as far as not breaking these abstractions
  3. Standardize where static webUI files are stored, how they are accessed through CouchDB

Reconnection hack must go

To have the reconnection hack work you must use a desktopcouch.records.database.Database, which makes it basically impossible to abstract away the desktop.

My #1 request for Oneiric is for this to change. Instead, the port must remain the same throughout the desktop session. It's fine if the port is randomly chosen at the start of the session, but it must remain the same once desktopcouch starts.

When it comes down to it, the API needs to be plain HTTP. Requiring a specialized wrapper library like desktopcouch closes off too many cool use cases (like having the same app run both on the web and on desktopcouch more or less transparently).

For what it's worth, desktopcouch.Database isn't close enough to the CouchDB REST API to be usable by dmedia (DC makes too many assumptions, certain functionality isn't available). In fact, even python-couchdb has been a constant headache for dmedia... again, certain functionality isn't exposed, and there is way too much magic/ambiguity behind the scenes.

Not that this sort of wrapper isn't probably a perfect fit for some applications. But dmedia and Novacut are pretty demanding, and something close to the metal like microfiber would make my life much easier.

Per DB sync should be opt-in, not opt-out

Developing with desktopcouch I've found it annoying that all the databases are synced to UbuntuOne by default... I frequently create test databases for testing dmedia (not just unit tests, but also using dmedia for an extended period, while not wanting to hose up my production dmedia DB). UbuntuOne sync is, of course, 100% awesome, but having it op-in rather than opt-out would make life easier for developers. It also avoids potential unexpected privacy oopses... when I was first learning desktopcouch I was surprised everything was synced by default. In my case, nothing in the database was sensitive, but for some, that wont be the case.

So:

  • At the very least, desktopcouch should not sync databases whose names start with test_

  • Preferably, change from opt-out to opt-in, eg have included_names rather than excluded_names

The 2nd point needs some explanation. It doesn't make sense to sync all databases to all devices as not all devices will have the apps that use those databases. This is particularly an issue with mobile devices, when syncing unnecessary databases will needlessly burn through precious storage, bandwidth, and CPU time. Note that tablets in particular are a very high priority for Novacut.

A device can easily supply the databases it wants synced as that's local information based on the apps installed, etc; however, a device has no way of knowing what databases it should opt-out of.

Make web apps first class citizens

dmedia and Novacut make heavy use of an architecture like this:

webtastic.png

The idea is that a large part of the user experience is implemented as an HTML5 UI, which can run as a native app in embedded WebKit, or be delivered over the web to standard browsers. When running as a native app, we're integrating with all the Ayatana niceties, so the experience isn't exactly the same, but close. Although certainly not the only way to take advantage of desktopcouch, running in embedded WebKit has some big advantages:

  • Can build a very snappy UI by making XMLHttpRequest directly to CouchDB, dynamically updating DOM
  • A plastic tool that gives designers sweeping freedom, yet allows quick implementation
  • Can build reusable user experiences consumable both in native apps and over the web

With help from Stuart Langridge, I have the dmedia CouchView working as a nice proof of concept. Importantly, CouchView will transparently sign the OAuth requests when connecting to desktopcouch, plus works equally well connecting to the system wide CouchDB.

I would like to further refine CouchView and upstream it into desktopcouch. Although this isn't critical for dmedia/Novacut (we already have it), I think this would really enhance the appeal of building new apps specifically for desktopcouch.

Standard location for static webUI files

Small pain point that needs to be addressed as part of making web apps first class citizens.

Futon (the CouchDB web admin UI) is served from static files. In the httpd_global_handlers section of the config, you'll see something like this:

  • _utils    {couch_httpd_misc_handlers, handle_utils_dir_req, "/usr/share/couchdb/www"}

Many desktopcouch/hosted CouchDB apps will need to deliver static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files accessible from CouchDB, so it would be nice to have standard location where these files are installed, say:

  • /usr/share/couchdb/apps/PACKAGE/*

And a standard handler configured by default in desktopcouch (but perhaps commented out by default in system wide CouchDB), say:

  • _apps    {couch_httpd_misc_handlers, handle_utils_dir_req, "/usr/share/couchdb/apps"}

So that the couch.js file that ships with dmedia would be available at, say:

  • http://localhost:39846/_apps/dmedia/couch.js

This also makes it easy for dmedia apps to utilize JavaScript etc shipped with dmedia.

Currently when dmedia-service starts, it will save the webUI assets as attachments in the /dmedia/app doc. Although this was a quick way to get things working, it's a dirty, dirty hack. It doesn't make sense to replicate the UI around... different devices will have different versions installed, or totally different user interfaces, etc. These static files should be shipped in the Debian packages (or equivalent for the platform in question).

abstractcouch.get_env()

As discussed in lp:722035, there needs to be a single entry point from which an app can get information about the CouchDB environment it is running in. If you were running against desktopcouch, it would return something like this:

  • {
      "oauth": {
        "consumer_key": "oRTyTHKiKu", 
        "consumer_secret": "bdXSzITryM", 
        "token": "lyrygLlsbk", 
        "token_secret": "QbqvZaiBGV"
      }, 
      "port": 45484, 
      "url": "http://localhost:45484/"
    }

Or if you were running against the system-wide CouchDB, it would return something like this:

  • {
      "port": 5984, 
      "url": "http://localhost:5984/"
    }

dmedia.core.get_env() implements the above behavior (but the point is apps shouldn't have to abstract away the desktop part on their own).

When talking to CouchDB from Python, dmedia.abstractcouch.get_server() is used to create an appropriately configured couchdb.Server based on the env it is passed.

When talking to CouchDB from JavaScript (UI running in embedded WebKit), the dmedia CouchView is used to transparently sign OAuth requests. This would be a great piece to standardize and upstream into desktopcouch.

enforcing record_type is too restrictive

Although the record_type convention addresses an important need (standardizing document schema for use across apps), it's rather awkward and verbose. In dmedia/Novacut, the type (or record_type) needs to be referenced very often, and in many contexts (view functions, UI code, etc), so I needed something more concise.

For example, the desktopcouch spec dictates something like this:

  • {
        "_id": "ZZZATIZG6IA3DJOEANQCFT3FHR4IU2FC",
        "record_type": "http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/dmedia/file"
    }

But dmedia uses something much less verbose:

  • {
        "_id": "ZZZATIZG6IA3DJOEANQCFT3FHR4IU2FC",
        "type": "dmedia/file"
    }

This is a very typical dmedia view function:

  • function(doc) {
        if (doc.type == 'dmedia/file') {
            emit(doc.mtime, null);
        }
    }

Which becomes awkward and far less readable if using the desktopcouch convention:

  • function(doc) {
        if (doc.record_type == 'http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/dmedia/file') {
            emit(doc.mtime, null);
        }
    }

DesktopCouchWishList (last edited 2011-05-09 16:06:31 by 137)