[Yanel-dev] Need help to figure out things

[Evaldas Taroza]

Hi,

I still can't avoid comparing Yanel CMS framework to Servlet API. Ok ok, 
I know that Servlet API does not know anything about repositories nor 
resources, nor realms. Still
- A "realm" is quite similar to a "webapp"
- A "resource" is quite similar to a "servlet"
- A "repository" is quite similar to a "db" to which a servlet can 
connect to

To elaborate more on this similarity. A database in Servlet API can be 
accessed through JNDI either globally or only in a specfic context 
(webapp). This database can well be a Yarep or JCR repository, or any 
other data store. Then, I can have servlets behaving like Viewable, 
Creatable, Modifiable, Deletable simply by implementing doGet, doPost, 
etc. I have standard user's repository that I can access in each 
servlet. I can configure servlet mappings. All in all, it looks that I 
can do much of the stuff that I can do with Yanel.

I understand, that with the Servlet API I don't talk in terms of content 
management as I do with Yanel. But still it looks that I can do the same 
with both. Actually if I had nicely called interfaces and abstract 
classes then I could say, that my servlet extends BasicXMLResource or 
something like that.

Hm, maybe this similarity is actually a good thing...

I haven't worked with CMSs before, and probably this is my problem why I 
don't get it.

So can somebody clarify, why do we need such a thick layer on top of 
Servlet API, when it looks more like renaming concepts than implementing 
something completely new and original? I may need to read about CMSs in 
general, but what are the most important things that a CMS should 
provide? What is it so valuable about a CMS (and maybe Yanel in 
particular) comparing to some Web framework like Ruby on Rails, 
Symphony, JBoss Seam, etc.?

I raise these questions in order not to criticize but rather to better 
understand Yanel.

Thanks for help,
Evaldas

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