From: Gavin Kistner <gavin@...>
Date: 2004-02-03T02:55:05+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby Web Application Framework Roundup

gabriele renzi wrote:
> define application framework. Maybe amrita could fit in here?

Damn...I was afraid someone would call my bluff :)

OK, in all honesty, I'm not sure precisely what the term means. (Or 
perhaps it's (ab)used to mean multiple things.)


My particular end goals for this upcoming project are:

* A common set of features in the application core (e.g. calendar, 
message board, media library, various hierarchies of pages).

* CMS for various pages and pieces. (User accounts, permissions on who 
can edit or create content, etc.)

* For multiple clients buying into the package (all on the same host), 
the ability to skin the output uniquely per client. (I don't much care 
how this is accomplished; could be common XML + unique XSLT per client 
(merged on the server, not client), or perhaps some sort of template 
abstraction hierarchy.)


I certainly don't expect anyone to have developed this dream 
applications as a free 'framework'. What I'm looking for is:

* Something that may speed development time. (Perhaps handles CMS issues 
well, or makes common things like client+server side form validation 
trivial.)

* Something that adds strong features. (Perhaps a template/caching 
system which improves performance by not hitting the database multiple 
times every time a page is requested.)

* Something that is flexible. (I don't want to be constrained by the 
system as to what I can and cannot do with the end application.)


It's rather vague, I know. This is partially due to secrecy concerns; 
partially because we're not far enough along in the project to know 
precisely what features we will be implementing; and partially because 
I've never used a web application framework before, and so don't what 
one offers.


Clear? Confusing? Does that provide enough details to at least help you 
help me? :)

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