[cap-talk] "Ambient capability"

[Kevin Reid]

On Jul 11, 2009, at 0:38, David-Sarah Hopwood wrote:

> Kevin Reid wrote:
>> Someone just wrote this page on the erights.org wiki:
>>
>>   http://wiki.erights.org/wiki/Ambient_capability
>>
>> I've never seen this term before and the description feels a little
>> off. Would the scholars and taxonomists of cap-talk please review/ 
>> edit
>> this article?
>
> I don't understand what this page is trying to say either. The term
> "capability" should be reserved for an actual capability (first-class
> value that combines an object designator and authority to that  
> object);
> this page seems to be using it differently.
>
> At first sight, having permissions vary "by virtue of context" seems
> like an antipattern in any capability system.

Further info: User:Dmbarbour, the author of this page, also wrote a  
definition of "Object capability". They claim to be a scholar of  
capabilities. They have been somewhat antagonized by User:Kosik.

I am concerned about a shortage of viewpoints from the wider cap-talk  
community.

Any of you with time, please review these pages and their histories  
(especially the editing of [[Object capability]]) and contribute.

http://wiki.erights.org/wiki/Talk:Object_capability
http://wiki.erights.org/w/index.php?title=Object_capability&action=history

http://wiki.erights.org/wiki/Talk:Ambient_capability

http://wiki.erights.org/wiki/Capability
http://wiki.erights.org/wiki/Talk:Capability

-- 
Kevin Reid                                  <http://switchb.org/kpreid/>