Having just completed a site using using Apache/Tomcat/Interbase (
http://www.free-minder.com ) at the end of last year I came across Greenspun's
book.
We spent many unproductive hours evaluating whether to use this or that buzzword
compliant technology. Next we had to try to configure an entire software circus
to address a programming model that was solved 40 years ago by IBM with the 3270
terminal. Greenspun's evangelism of the no-nonsense AOLServer + TCL really hit
me between the eyes and I was convinced that my next project would go down this
route.
As we pull together the threads of our next project I am slightly dismayed to
learn of the disputes at the top of Arsdigita as we were planning to use the ACS
system as a springboard to which we would add our subscription based
application.
My main concern is the porting of the ACS system to Java. To me this looks
rather like a fashion statement and is something I would seek to avoid because
it will surely just add another tent to the circus.
Is the future direction of AOLServer likely to incorporate integrated Java (and
move away from TCL)?
Can we safely base our software infrastructure strategy on AOLServer + TCL (with
or without ACS) or does the ARSDigita move towards java presage a similar shift
in AOLServer?
Alan Wright
