This post explores the concept of web compatibility and whether it can be quantified. It draws parallels to the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, questioning if a similar metric could represent the trade-off between compatibility and feature availability. The post also examines how browser vendors' incentives influence feature adoption and proposes leveraging compatibility data sources like caniuse and web platform tests (WPT) to prioritize compatibility improvements. Potential tools, such as a compatibility bot and automated blog updates, are suggested to highlight these improvements.
My first year at Google has been an incredible journey. It's been a whirlwind of experiences, from joining the company after selling my Twitter web-app to working alongside industry experts like Chris Messina and Tim Bray. I started as a Developer Programs Engineer for iGoogle and Google Chrome in London, and later transitioned to a Developer Advocate role. My first month at the Mountain View campus was an intense learning experience. I've traveled extensively, presented at various events (including Google Developer Days in Munich, Moscow, and Prague), and contributed to the launch of the Chrome Web Store. I'm excited to see what the future holds, including speaking at Google IO and working with more developers outside of London.
2010 was a big year! Benjamin joined our family in June. I also joined Google as a Developer Programs Engineer, later transitioning to Developer Advocate, which has been an amazing experience. I've met tons of talented people, traveled a lot, and worked with developers worldwide. I've been busy with projects like creating a Chrome Web Store app, Chrome extensions showcasing the Management API, HTML5Rocks tutorials, and WebIntents. I even got a new LCD TV after years of waiting! In 2011, I'm aiming to code more, release more code, meet more developers, speak at more events, and most importantly, spend more time at home with my family.
I reported two issues with the Yahoo API over the weekend: one regarding the result number restriction not working as expected and another about the contextual term extraction API failing to process text after encountering HTML tags. Yahoo responded promptly on Monday, confirming that one issue is a bug being addressed and the other has already been fixed. I'm very impressed with their responsiveness and quick turnaround.
