Jim Roepcke's weblog have browser, will travel (est. 1999)

WWDC Session 605: Moving to WebObjects 5

Session 605: Moving to WebObjects 5

A much more positive session than I expected. I thought there was going to be a much longer list of serious issues to tackle when upgrading applications from WO4.5 to WO5.

Performance has increased moderately to significantly depending on the deployment platform, and the core frameworks are almost completely API compatible. There are minor differences in some areas, and one or two not so minor (but not dealstoppers), especially with respect to input validation. The JavaConverter source code translator program can convert Objective-C and WO4.5 Java classes to WO5 java source. It's advertised to get the developer 80% of the way through the porting effort. A demo showed how to fix a few things that comprise the remaining 20%.

The only major new feature that I can remember them discussing was a very powerful logging class. I think it reinvents the wheel that Log4j created ages ago, but whatever.

More sample code was shown that I'm not sure the developer community at large would ever see again. They said they would make it available so let's hope. They made a lot of demo stuff available last year (I didn't attend in person), but their attitude seemed a little insincere when asked about making the source available.

All in all, I look forward to using 5 and moving our apps there as soon as possible. No more Java Bridge, no more Java 1.1 limitations, more deployment options, and it's still free.

WWDC Session 609: Developing Desktop Applications with WebObjects

Session 609: Developing Desktop Applications with WebObjects

This was a cool demo and intro session. Both Cocoa/EOF and JavaClient technologies were highlighted. Cocoa/EOF is a two-tier environment (the client connects directly to the database). JavaClient, on the other hand, is a three-tier configuration: the client app connects to a server (WebObjects) and the server connects to the database. JavaClient has a different architecture than most three-tier systems, designed to minimize communication with the server which improves security and performance.

Wizards for both will take an EOModel (object relational description) and generate feature complete applications.

Even better than JavaClient, IMHO, is Direct To JavaClient, which is a mix of Direct To Web and JavaClient. This is some of the most exciting technology to come around in a long long time. I wish I had time to use it.

One remaining issue for the Cocoa/EOF variant is redistribution of the EOF libraries. Not sure if there's a resolution yet.

WWDC Session 608: Solutions with WebObjects

Session 608: Solutions with WebObjects

This was mostly an iServices commercial, but that's fine, it was also a great WebObjects commercial, showing that yes, really massively critical and cool apps are built with WebObjects.

One of the speakers accidentally said the name of their "large logistics company" client, which I won't repeat, who have a number of very cool apps built by Apple.

Last time I checked, Apple was quite a bit more expensive than other WO consultants, so as much as it was meant as an iServices commercial, it really advertised all the consultancies.

Most WO shops have frameworks that they've built over time and reuse for each client, and Apple is no different. They call their collection of frameworks "ObjectWare", and it's held close to their chest as a competitive advantage. The only way to get at ObjectWare, apparently, is to engage with iServices for services, much to the chagrin of standalone WO developers who would love to get their hands on that code. Apple's not only the platform vendor here, they're also the service providers, much as they are on the retail side.

Before you get all bent out of shape about this, don't forget IBM does the same thing (only 1000 times larger scale) and so do most platform vendors, even Microsoft, although more quietly.

Democrats Control Senate As Republican Quits

Democrats Control Senate As Republican Quits

(jaw dropping)

Largest release of open source WO objects

Check out the notes about the Stepwise BOF.