Several current and planned tools are essentially open-ended, semi-structured collections of other objects. Currently, these are simply lumped together in a folder (website), with a "special" object serving as the entry point to the collection. Examples include:
- MOO objects
- NavigableObjectSets (the 2-pane containers used for concept maps)
- WebLog tools
Problems include:
- Setup and configuration. The current template directory mechanism largely handles setup, since a directory containing an initial set of objects can simply be cloned to make a new instance.
- Opportunities for accidental destruction. The structures are inherently brittle, so that (for example) renaming or removing a folder containing a room's data can break a MOO.
- Entry point is not obvious. Since the folder contains lots of objects, it will not be clear which one should be opened.
A possible solution to this is to introduce a reasonably generic "package" notion, which would be similar to the way applications are handled under OSX. A package would essentially be a WebSite that could not be (easily) opened from the explorer view, and would delegate web and component views to a contained object.
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