Hopbot log for 2008-03-31 - Helma IRC channel: #helma on irc.freenode.net
2008-03-31:
[14:31] <rsanches> hey! :)[14:31] <zumbrunn> hi rsanches
[14:32] <rsanches> guys, i am getting lost with all this new frameworks! I have to start a new project and I don't have any idea of what framework to choose!
[14:34] <zumbrunn> yeah, the choices one has are quite crazy
[14:34] <rsanches> it's quite frustrating
[14:34] <zumbrunn> could drive one crazy to make the choice :-)
[14:35] <rsanches> i read today about helma
[14:36] <rsanches> it seems quite good, what is making me choose it over the other frameworks that i've considered (ruby, django, erlang) is the learning curve for developers
[14:36] <rsanches> do you know if I am right about that?
[14:36] <rsanches> it seems easier for a java developer to start coding right away with it?
[14:37] <zumbrunn> that's probably true
[14:37] <zumbrunn> but Javascript != Java, of course
[14:38] <zumbrunn> still, very similar syntax and conceptually, the framework probably feels more familiar
[14:38] <zumbrunn> plus, you can use any Java libraries you want
[14:38] <rsanches> sure, but I know the coders of the project, they would probably say "I hate this !"£!£ ruby syntax" "python sucks! where are my {}!?!?!"
[14:38] <zumbrunn> hehe
[14:40] <zumbrunn> it seems the most significant hurdle for newbies with helma are the type.properties mappings for mapping objects to relational dbs
[14:40] <zumbrunn> but even that part is probably quite straight forward compare to other frameworks
[14:41] <zumbrunn> (it's just that the docs are lacking a bit in that department)
[14:41] <zumbrunn> what kind of project do you have in mind?
[14:42] <zumbrunn> will you use a relational backend?
[14:42] <zumbrunn> or just the embedded XML db?
[14:43] <rsanches> it will be a relational backend, but it will be separated in two parts: core-engine (pure java) and the web-ui (any language can be used.. just populate the database)
[14:45] <rsanches> there is any integrated JSON-RPC module? Or can i just use java + metaparadigm?
[14:54] <zumbrunn> since you have javascript on both sides in the case of helma, you don't need much for JSON-RPC
[14:55] <zumbrunn> you can use the same JSON code on the server-side that you use on the client-side
[14:56] <zumbrunn> plus helma comes with these JSON methods for convenience...
[14:56] <zumbrunn> http://helma.zumbrunn.com/reference/JSON.html
[14:58] <zumbrunn> and to handle the JSON-RPC requests you would create an action, just like you would for html responses like edit or add or whatever
[14:58] <zumbrunn> unfortunately, I've got to run...
[14:58] <zumbrunn> I'll be back in a few hours
[15:02] <zumbrunn> afk...
[15:02] <zumbrunn> I might check in via the iphone, though
[15:05] <rsanches> awesome man! thanks for your help