I have raised an issue on struts-dev which I think impacts struts-user
as well. So, here is a cross posting, which under these cirucmstancs
makes sense, I think.
Looking over Struts 1.2, I see that my ImageButtonBean, an idea
discarded for improvements some time ago, made it into the Struts
framework. This re-ignites my thoughts placed into another context and
which I think are worth putting under a heading which might engender
some response. So, here is a last try to get people to address the
question. If we continue to put mere uses into the framework, things
will get even odder. ImageButtonBean had little testing and was but a
germ of an idea. It spread quickly because the problem was pressing to
people. But, that does not make it a good solution. In fact, it is a
fairly poor solution. Discussions with people on the Struts user list
led to definite improvements. In those discussions, people shared some
of their ideas which are better than this. ImageTagUtil was a far
better solution for that problem in almost every respect. But, now
ImageButtonBean is in the framework and will have to be their for
sometime. That is not good, in my opinion.
Open source and painting are connected in someways. The biggest mistake
of the amateur painter is to keep adding colors when the painting is
done. The result is always that murky, dark, ugly, look. Likewise, open
source, filled with people with egos, sometimes does not know when
something is done, finished, damed good and certainly good enough.
I have a real concern that Struts is going to continue to be bloated
with what are not Struts, not part of the framework, but what are
instead really very useful uses of Struts. DispatchAction and its
progeny are just one example of this. I would suggest that such
offerings would better be managed in a separate application called
something like "Struts Patterns" or "Struts Best Practices". Perhaps
such classes could be released as classes and either maintained (or
preferrably not) independent of Struts?
I would hope that by the term "bloat" I don't convey that such classes
are not wonderful ideas and their authors are stellar citizens. It just
seems to me that a framework ought to be maintained as a FRAMEWORK and
that allowing USES OF THE FRAMEWORK to become part of the framework is a
groundwater mistake. Generally, I think it might be better if the
actions package were distributed outside Struts proper.
As a framework, there comes a time when something like Struts is done,
and we need to move on to other things except diligent maintainence and
creating clever uses. My present predeliction is to save what presently
exists, clean it up by jettisoned what is not needed, and to watch for
good ideas that might arise in uses. This is just a thought.
There needs to be, I think, a clear separation of Struts patterns or
clever uses of Struts and Struts itself. I would suggest that something
formal be instituted. Thanks for your ears/eyes on this.
Michael McGrady
