[OT] UML Tools for developing Revolution projects

[Igor Couto]

Dear Alex,

Thanks for the tip about the OmniGraffle mailing list!

On Saturday, August 2, 2003, at 08:18  AM, Alex Rice wrote:

> Have you searched the Omnigraffle mailing list for "UML"? AFAIK 
> omnigraffle is scriptable and hyper-linkable. Maybe someone has 
> implemented real UML support already using it's extensibility > features.
>

I did a search on the mailing list, and without looking too deeply into 
the postings, it seems to me that even though people have been 
mentioning the lack of some of the features necessary for FULL UML 
diagramming since before version 2.0, they have been busy implementing 
other more frequently requested functionality.

The workarounds that I was able to read about in the list only mention 
the usual (half-) solutions that you and I already know about: grouping 
objects together, using custom magnets, trying to fiddle with a bit of 
AppleScript, etc.

My personal experience with all of these solutions is that once the UML 
diagram starts to get to a *reasonable* (not overly large, mind you) 
size, it already becomes too high-maintenance.  I have found that I'm 
going back to the good'ol' whiteboard for doing most of my diagramming 
(which annoys me to no end), using OmniGraffle only when I can see that 
the diagram is more-or-less close to its final state... Altogether, 
this is not a very professional way of working, and it really isn't 
making good use of the computer... After all, it *should* be easier for 
us to do these diagrams using a diagramming tool, than it is to do them 
using a whiteboard!

I have written with suggestions to the OmniGraffle team. They are a 
very friendly, polite and responsive bunch. Their priorities are, 
however, dictated by the necessities of their market. Unless people let 
them know that these features are widely needed, they will not give 
them priority.

So, my suggestion to you, is that if you also find that you could do 
with some extra UML-specific features, PLEASE drop the feedback team at 
Omni a little message!

Once again, thank you for the suggestion!

Sincerely,

--
Igor de Oliveira Couto
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igor at pixelmedia.com.au
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