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by tach4n 4173 days ago
You're right that the page linked in OP needs improvement. The phrase to focus on is this:

> io.js is an npm compatible platform originally based on node.js

It's not a library, it's a platform that's based on node.js. It's more or less a fork of node or "spork" as they call it.

The github repo is a bit more clear: https://github.com/iojs/io.js

The main point seems to be that it's run on an open governance model: https://github.com/iojs/io.js/blob/v1.x/GOVERNANCE.md
3 comments
pcl 4173 days ago
If I were them, I'd say something like:

"io.js is an api-compatible alternative to the node.js runtime, including support for the npm ecosystem, that aims to release faster than the node.js release cycle and move according to a community-driven open governance model."

Given the tremendous volume of packages released to npm, the current one-liner initially just doesn't convey much information. In context of the comments here, it all parses perfectly, but I was one of many who needed this context to understand the (apparent) goals of the project.

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dan15 4173 days ago
We should start referring to PHP as a "Composer compatible platform" and Python as a "PyPI compatible platform"
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mintplant 4173 days ago
The huge collection of modules on npm is one of the strongest factors node.js has going for it, so it makes sense for them to emphasize that they're not breaking compatibility with this in forking node.
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dan15 4173 days ago
Yes, but something "JavaScript runtime with npm compatibility" would be friendlier and significantly easier for people to understand.
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CHY872 4173 days ago
They don't provide the Javascript runtime - Google does that. This is a fork of Node.js - glossing over this is at least a little disrespectful to Node.js.
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rlaanemets 4173 days ago
There was a trademark issue between them and Joyent that also made the node-forward GH repo to go private. They might not be comfortable using term Node.JS on the frontpage.
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mbesto 4173 days ago
> The main point seems to be that it's run on an open governance model

Ya, I think the main problem is that no one has any idea what that means from a practical sense. Will my code go faster? Will I get better support? etc.

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