Struts is Overkill?

[Michael Marrotte <ma...@nicusa.com>]

I just completed a good-sized web application (a statewide Child Support
Payment System) using Struts.  There's was a fair learning curve which put
me over the deadline.  But, after that my development speed increased
significantly with the help of the Struts framework.  My local manager has
even bought into Struts after seeing my success and researching it himself.
However, our regional office is not very close with us and deemed Struts an
"Overkill" for shopping-cart/e-commerce type applications.  I intuitively
know that Struts will save me time, introduces a unfired framework, etc.
But, I was hoping that you guys could help me come up with an even more
convincing argument for when the time comes.

Thanks in advance,

--Michael Marrotte

Re: Struts is Overkill?

[Cliff Rowley <cl...@onsea.net>]

>I just completed a good-sized web application (a statewide Child Support
>Payment System) using Struts.  There's was a fair learning curve which put
>me over the deadline.  But, after that my development speed increased
>significantly with the help of the Struts framework.  My local manager has
>even bought into Struts after seeing my success and researching it himself.
>However, our regional office is not very close with us and deemed Struts an
>"Overkill" for shopping-cart/e-commerce type applications.  I intuitively
>know that Struts will save me time, introduces a unfired framework, etc.
>But, I was hoping that you guys could help me come up with an even more
>convincing argument for when the time comes.

I would suggest a demonstration - pictures speak louder than words, and 
real life is even louder.  If you are confident that you are now proficient 
enough with Struts to show a good ROI, then show them.  If it means sitting 
in an office and showing how you put it together line by line, then so be 
it.  Take the shopping cart as an example, since you imply that this is 
their concern - build yourself some beans to encapsulate the business logic 
and data, jar them up and use them in your demonstration.  They'll be 
surprised how quickly you tap out those Struts actions and wire pages 
in.  Don't do yourself out of a job though - and make sure they realise the 
beans need development time too ;)

That's the thing about internal politics of this type - quite often its 
down to ignorance, and all it takes is a good illustration.

>Thanks in advance,
>
>--Michael Marrotte
>
>
>
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Cliff Rowley

Tel:      +44 (0) 1206 514263
Email:    cliff@onsea.net
Web:      http://www.onsea.net