How useful is an OO framework?

A framework is ...

• a collection of components
• a generic solution for a class of problems
• a frame of mind for solving problems
• a set of architectural constraints

The San Francisco Framework

• is meant to develop business applications
• is based on Java technology
• may solve 70% of your problem
• leaves 30% (minimum) to solve for you
• may set a standard
• or may fail to do so ...

San Francisco - motivation

• The project was started when several software vendors asked IBM to help modernizing their application products
• However, there were several barriers preventing them from being able to update their applications

Barriers to modernizing

• (1) The problem of how to retrain their development staff to effectively use OO technology.
• (2) The risk involved in moving to a new technology.
• (3) moving -> the cost of the change

• The San Francisco project helps to solve these problems by offering developers Business Process Components, designed as frameworks that provides an object oriented infrastructure, a consistent application programming model, and some default business logic
• The frameworks make it easier to move to OO technology because developers use well-tested services instead of building their own.

San Francisco Framework - layers

• Core Business Process Layer - the highest
• Common Business Objects Layer - middle
• Foundation Layer - lowest

Core Business Processes

The objective for this layer is to create a sound architecture and highly extensible OO implementation for the basic structure and behavior which any application provider delivering a solution in the application doamin would require:

• Accounts Receivable/Payable Ledger
• General Ledger Framework
• Sales Order Management Framework
• Purchase Order Management

Foundation Layer

• Foundation Object Model Classes
• Utilities

• Command
• Entity
• Dependent
• Collection/Iterator
• Factory

The San Francisco Frameworks are designed to make many types of extensions easy for application developers:

• overriding the default business logic in supplied methods
• adding additional attributes to existing classes
• adding additional methods to existing classes

San Francisco - issues

• Standards: OMG/CORBA Business Issues
• Technology Integration:
• Compound Documents: Lotus Notes, JavaBeans, Active X
• Business process Modeling and Control: workflow engines may be used as glue
• Internet/Intranet and Java: applications may be designed
• Conclusions: a bit premature ...