[Zope-dev] Zope view as object file system instead of web content management

[Sin Hang Kin]

Hello DC:

It have been pointed out that zope is an object file system instead of an
web content management system. But the current activities of zope usage have
been mainly apply it as an web app server. This point of view may not
release fully the potentials of zope.

We have currently seen perl is being introduce to zope, I think this is just
an start: more and more people will join in to use zope with their native
language.

However, the current zope status is not suitable to accept such an change, I
shall say we should have something like DOM for xml for zope before we can
invite them to explore the world of zope.

1, zope should based on unicode, having everything look at them as if it
serve their native encoding by translating encoding during the publishing
machanism.

2, zope should be prepared to meet the distribution world where multiple
zope co-operative is possible. I can see the benefit to have unique zope
object id by having a auto-gen local zope id and together with system
identifier to form globally unique id. This will benefit many things:
storing object to database, transfer them, archive, tracking their changes,
etc. To solve the mirror and duplicate copy, the new objectid shall take the
original id, plus the duplicate type and the new system id, to preserve link
and unique id.

3. some zope object can be float around without a fixed location, this can
be view as all of them are located in the root location or been placed to
under a transparent folder. This make no big different but can free our way
to utilize objects.

4. some interfaces of creating, modifing, publish through various protocol,
access to meta data, attach method, make invisible (delete), duplicate,
changing its storage method, spliting version, and such can be defined as
what DOM does.

5. Make the publishing machenism forgiving by nature, i.e., one can access
an object by putting before it some non-exist path, as if it were located in
an non-existing location. This does not change many thing, but will give
greate flexability to what people can do.

6. Map  dtml to the new DOM model and let everybody happy using their own
native language.

I am not a programmer but I feel that the current zope have been very
confusing with too many surprise in dtml and its syntax. If we continue to
go on like this and introduce perl people, I am afraid the result will be
fatal. Zope is very powerful but it might also its deadly weakpoint. Make
zope stronger before injecting more power in it.




Rgs,

Kent Sin
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