[cap-talk] Creating 32-bit capabilities, automatic capabilities by subclassing? (message for jed at the end)

[John Carlson]

On May 9, 2006, at 5:29 PM, Jed at Webstart wrote:

> At 10:04 PM 5/8/2006, John Carlson wrote:
>>>
>>> It would be really cool if we could add capabilities to this, such
>>> that people
>>> could only see certain parts of the graph.
>>
>> Since I am using Java OpenGL for picking, I am using an integer to  
>> name
>> objects.  What I envision doing is using some kind of algorithm to
>> generate a capabilities-as-data integer to pass over the internet
>> to other people.
>
> Are you talking about something like Tyler's YURLs?
>

Something like that that would fit in an int (32-bits).  Is there an
algorithm for creating capabilities-as-data for ints?

>> Does someone have a standard set of capabilities that I can use
>> to add to this graphing program?  I guess this is similar to file
>> system capabilities.  Could I just subclass my node and arc
>> from some publically available classes, and the database,
>> multiuser, networking and capabilities would come for free?
>
> You lost me above.
>
I mean are there some standard modules I can inherit from, and
gain the database, multiuser, networking, and capabilities.  Thus,
I could write a node module and an arc module, do the GUI (cut
copy, paste, move).  To get the database, multiuser, networking,
and capabilities, I would just attach my code to the standard
modules--I wouldn't have to design a schema, deal with the
complexities of distributing capabilities, or design the network
protocol.   Please don't tell me this is a revolutionary concept.

>> Jed, what do you think about a capability system to write IMPACT
>> programs in a distributed/multiprogrammer fashion?
>
> Gulp.  Now that's a real stretch referencing a cellular data
> flow machine and capabilities in the same sentence.  Such
> a topic could more appropriately be discussed off this list.
Well, I think your ideas for the programming of IMPACT  (not
the cellular part, the textual part), could be easily adapted
to graphs.  If you think about programming these things in
a distributed fashion, you probably want some capabilities
that you could distribute to people when the coding is done.
What I am envisioning is a CVS or SVN system based on
capabilities instead of passwords and ambient authority.

I'm not necessarily saying it has to be IMPACT, just that
a MMPOIDE (massively multiprogrammer online integrated development
environment)  would be interesting to write within the context of  
capabilities.
Perhaps this is what the Croquet project is trying to do.



John