Common JavaScript Framework

[SL at fecondcarcan dot com]

Hello,

One of the great annoyances I have with JavaScript is the lack of a good
consistent code library. Oh, there are a few code libraries scattered
around for doing various things. The problem is that each of them have
their own way of doing things. If we want to use more than one library
at a time, we often end up duplicating code and working with different
interfaces and practices that aren't necessarily compatible with each
other...

So... isn't it about time that we have a Common JavaScript Framework?

I'm thinking of a standardised code library, mostly (but not entirely)
built from the free code that is already out there. (I'm thinking of a
LGPL core with independantly licensed extensions.)

I know of a few very cool projects that aim to make JavaScript
development easier, more professional and to bridge the gap between
browsers and environments. (To name a few: DynAPI, DOMAPI, Sarissa,
13th parallels' library, netWindows, bindows, ActiveUI, f(m).) But I
don't know of any effort to bring all of these features into one common
framework. Can we do anything about this?

I'm not exactly proposing that we form a group to design and implement a
complete framework. I just think that, us, JavaScript developers should
talk to each other more and agree on a few things. Then, I imagine
being able to access this centralized, well designed library that is
ready for serious (and less serious) development and the dream goes on...


I have been working with JS (client and server) for some years now and
I'd like to bring more consistency to my code and spend less time
writing lower level code. So I may be writing this email more out of
wishful thinking than determined action. In any ways, I remain
interested to support any effort that would lead me to better, well
designed, programming.


Any thoughts? Actions?

 

[Jim Ley]

So... isn't it about time that we have a Common JavaScript Framework?

Not really, libraries are pretty inappropriate to web authoring, and
as there's only a few tens of people capable of authoring such things,
all of them likely too busy on other things to do it, and even then
the sheer scope would mean you'd have a lot of people with a huge
amount of code to do what for most uses would be wholly irrelevant.

So without that investment you'd now just end up with one common heap
of crap.

I know of a few very cool projects that aim to make JavaScript
development easier, more professional and to bridge the gap between
browsers and environments. (To name a few: DynAPI, DOMAPI, Sarissa,
13th parallels' library, netWindows, bindows, ActiveUI, f(m).) But I
don't know of any effort to bring all of these features into one common
framework. Can we do anything about this?

Well, you'd need to bring them all up to a professional standard
first, some are better than other of course, but none carry a
professional badge, by my meaning.

Jim.