The document discusses modeling and the challenges and benefits of modeling. It addresses common complaints about modeling like the learning curve being too steep, UML being too complex, and models being too abstract. It advocates that modeling is about simplifying complexity and presents examples of different types of models like class diagrams and tree structures. The document also notes that EMF can act as a hub to connect different models.

1. The Unbearable
Stupidity of Modeling
Ed Merks | Peter Friese
(c) 2009 Ed Merks | Peter Friese. Distributed under the EDL V1.0 - http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php
Thursday, March 26, 2009

2. Twitter:
#eclipsecon #emf
http://ed-merks.blogspot.com
http://www.peterfriese.de
Thursday, March 26, 2009

3. “The Learning Curve is Too Steep”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

4. “The Learning Curve is Too Steep”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

5. “The Learning Curve is Too Steep”
• Use newsgroups
Thursday, March 26, 2009

6. “The Learning Curve is Too Steep”
• Use newsgroups
• Get Trained: Eclipse Training Alliance
Thursday, March 26, 2009

7. “The Learning Curve is Too Steep”
• Use newsgroups
• Get Trained: Eclipse Training Alliance
• Consult with someone who knows
Thursday, March 26, 2009

8. “UML is Way Too Complex”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

9. “UML is Way Too Complex”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

10. “UML is Way Too Complex”
UML 1: 9 diagram types
Thursday, March 26, 2009

11. “UML is Way Too Complex”
UML 1: 9 diagram types
UML 2: 13 diagram types
Thursday, March 26, 2009

12. “UML is Way Too Complex”
UML 1: 9 diagram types
UML 2: 13 diagram types
Complex underlying structure
Thursday, March 26, 2009

13. “UML is Way Too Complex”
UML 1: 9 diagram types
UML 2: 13 diagram types
Complex underlying structure
UML ≠ Modeling
Thursday, March 26, 2009

14. “UML is Way Too Complex”
UML 1: 9 diagram types
UML 2: 13 diagram types
Complex underlying structure
UML ≠ Modeling
You don’t need to use it!
Thursday, March 26, 2009

15. So What is Modeling Anyway?
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

16. So What is Modeling Anyway?
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

17. It’s about simplicity!
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

18. It’s about simplicity!
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

19. It’s about simplicity!
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

20. It’s about simplicity!
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
Car
color
maxSpeed
startEngine
accelerate
stopEngine
brake
Thursday, March 26, 2009

21. “Oh, That’s Too Abstract For Me!”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

22. “Oh, That’s Too Abstract For Me!”
Abstraction is the process [...] of
reducing the information content of a
concept [...] to retain only information
which is relevant for a particular
purpose.
Thursday, March 26, 2009

23. @SuppressWarnings(quot;serialquot;)
@Entity
@Table(name = quot;CUSTOMER_INFOquot;)
public class CustomerInfo implements Serializable {
@Id
@GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.SEQUENCE, generator = quot;idSeqquot;)
@SequenceGenerator(name = quot;idSeqquot;, sequenceName = quot;CUST_SEQquot;, allocationSize = 1)
@Column(name = quot;CUST_IDquot;, nullable = false)
private String customerId;
public void setCustomerId(String customerId) {
this.customerId = customerId;
}
public String getCustomerId() {
return customerId;
}
@Column(name = quot;EMAILquot;, nullable = false, length = 128)
private String emailAddress;
public String getEmailAddress() {
return emailAddress;
}
public void setEmailAddress(String emailAddress) {
String oldValue = emailAddress;
this.emailAddress = emailAddress;
firePropertyChangedEvent(quot;emailAddressquot;, oldValue, this.emailAddress);
}
Thursday, March 26, 2009

24. @SuppressWarnings(quot;serialquot;)
@Entity
@Table(name = quot;CUSTOMER_INFOquot;)
public class CustomerInfo implements Serializable {
@Id
@GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.SEQUENCE, generator = quot;idSeqquot;)
@SequenceGenerator(name = quot;idSeqquot;, sequenceName = quot;CUST_SEQquot;, allocationSize = 1)
@Column(name = quot;CUST_IDquot;, nullable = false)
private String customerId;
public void setCustomerId(String customerId) {
this.customerId = customerId;
}
public String getCustomerId() {
return customerId;
}
@Column(name = quot;EMAILquot;, nullable = false, length = 128)
private String emailAddress;
public String getEmailAddress() {
return emailAddress;
}
public void setEmailAddress(String emailAddress) {
String oldValue = emailAddress;
this.emailAddress = emailAddress;
firePropertyChangedEvent(quot;emailAddressquot;, oldValue, this.emailAddress);
}
Thursday, March 26, 2009

25. entity CustomerInfo
(id=CUST_ID, sequenceName=CUST_SEQ) {
String emailAddress (notNull, length = 128)
}
Thursday, March 26, 2009

26. entity CustomerInfo
(id=CUST_ID, sequenceName=CUST_SEQ) {
String emailAddress (notNull, length = 128)
}
This actually is a model!
Thursday, March 26, 2009

27. entity CustomerInfo
(id=CUST_ID, sequenceName=CUST_SEQ) {
String emailAddress (notNull, length = 128)
}
This actually is a model!
Don’t believe? Come to the Xtext BOF.
Thursday, March 26, 2009

28. Models Can Take Different Shapes
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
!quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+./0(+123'$+24
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........+&':+%'))'#97+12)0:+/72>4
....!>quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
!quot;#$%&'%()*+,-&*'./0*'1
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....../0(+12*0=+*2.
''2)+%(3'3*)4-#*$567
......7-)+12quot;#$%#7:9/?2>4
''8/%0'9*)4-#*$52)+%(3'8-$quot;*67
!>quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+4
''4%9):./0*;'3*)<=%$0+*(567
''./0*'3*)>-+*()567
''8/%0'9*)>-+*()5./0*'8-$quot;*67
?'@@'./0*
0..1
parent
Node
label: EString
0..*
children
Thursday, March 26, 2009

29. Models Can Take Different Shapes
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
!quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+./0(+123'$+24
....!quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
......!quot;#$%+*+(+/7.
0..1
......../0(+12&89*$:+/2.
parent
........7-)+127:++%3'$+2.
Node
........(9/;&&6:#12<2
label: EString
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........+&':+%'))'#97+12)0:+/72>4
0..*
....!>quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
children
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....../0(+12*0=+*2.
!quot;#$%&'%()*+,-&*'./0*'1 ......7-)+12quot;#$%#7:9/?2>4
!>quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+4
''2)+%(3'3*)4-#*$567
''8/%0'9*)4-#*$52)+%(3'8-$quot;*67
''4%9):./0*;'3*)<=%$0+*(567
''./0*'3*)>-+*()567
''8/%0'9*)>-+*()5./0*'8-$quot;*67
?'@@'./0*
Thursday, March 26, 2009

30. Models Can Take Different Shapes
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
0..1
parent
Node
label: EString
0..*
children
!quot;#$%&'%()*+,-&*'./0*'1
''2)+%(3'3*)4-#*$567
!quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+./0(+123'$+24
''8/%0'9*)4-#*$52)+%(3'8-$quot;*67
''4%9):./0*;'3*)<=%$0+*(567
....!quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
''./0*'3*)>-+*()567
''8/%0'9*)>-+*()5./0*'8-$quot;*67
?'@@'./0*
......!quot;#$%+*+(+/7.
......../0(+12&89*$:+/2.
........7-)+127:++%3'$+2.
........(9/;&&6:#12<2
........(0quot;;&&6:#126/='6/$+$2.
........+&':+%'))'#97+12)0:+/72>4
....!>quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
....!quot;#$%077:9=67+.
....../0(+12*0=+*2.
......7-)+12quot;#$%#7:9/?2>4
!>quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+4
Thursday, March 26, 2009

31. Models Can Take Different Shapes
Basically a model is a simplified abstract
view of the complex reality
(Wikipedia)
!quot;#$%&'%()*+,-&*'./0*'1
''2)+%(3'3*)4-#*$567
''8/%0'9*)4-#*$52)+%(3'8-$quot;*67
''4%9):./0*;'3*)<=%$0+*(567
!quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+./0(+123'$+24
''./0*'3*)>-+*()567
....!quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
''8/%0'9*)>-+*()5./0*'8-$quot;*67
......!quot;#$%+*+(+/7. 0..1
?'@@'./0*
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........7-)+127:++%3'$+2. Node
........(9/;&&6:#12<2 label: EString
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........+&':+%'))'#97+12)0:+/72>4 0..*
....!>quot;#$%#+56+/&+4 children
....!quot;#$%077:9=67+.
....../0(+12*0=+*2.
......7-)+12quot;#$%#7:9/?2>4
!>quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+4
Thursday, March 26, 2009

32. EMF Acts as a Hub for Models
!quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+./0(+123'$+24
....!quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
0..1 ......!quot;#$%+*+(+/7.
parent ......../0(+12&89*$:+/2.
Node ........7-)+127:++%3'$+2.
label: EString ........(9/;&&6:#12<2
........(0quot;;&&6:#126/='6/$+$2.
........+&':+%'))'#97+12)0:+/72>4
0..*
....!>quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
children
....!quot;#$%077:9=67+.
....../0(+12*0=+*2.
......7-)+12quot;#$%#7:9/?2>4
!>quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+4
!quot;#$%&'%()*+,-&*'./0*'1
''2)+%(3'3*)4-#*$567
''8/%0'9*)4-#*$52)+%(3'8-$quot;*67
''4%9):./0*;'3*)<=%$0+*(567
''./0*'3*)>-+*()567
''8/%0'9*)>-+*()5./0*'8-$quot;*67
?'@@'./0*
Thursday, March 26, 2009

33. EMF Acts as a Hub for Models
!quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+./0(+123'$+24
....!quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
0..1 ......!quot;#$%+*+(+/7.
parent ......../0(+12&89*$:+/2.
Node ........7-)+127:++%3'$+2.
label: EString ........(9/;&&6:#12<2
........(0quot;;&&6:#126/='6/$+$2.
........+&':+%'))'#97+12)0:+/72>4
0..*
....!>quot;#$%#+56+/&+4
children
....!quot;#$%077:9=67+.
....../0(+12*0=+*2.
......7-)+12quot;#$%#7:9/?2>4
!>quot;#$%&'()*+quot;,-)+4
!quot;#$%&'%()*+,-&*'./0*'1
''2)+%(3'3*)4-#*$567
''8/%0'9*)4-#*$52)+%(3'8-$quot;*67
''4%9):./0*;'3*)<=%$0+*(567
''./0*'3*)>-+*()567
''8/%0'9*)>-+*()5./0*'8-$quot;*67
?'@@'./0*
Thursday, March 26, 2009

34. “All This Buzz About Meta - It Drives
Me Crazy!”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

35. “All This Buzz About Meta - It Drives
Me Crazy!”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

36. “All This Buzz About Meta - It Drives
Me Crazy!”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

37. Don’t Panic.
Thursday, March 26, 2009

38. Meta = Description
aNode1
label: quot;carquot;
0..1
parent aNode2
Node label: quot;wheelquot;
label: EString
aNode3
0..* label: quot;wheelquot;
children
aNode4
label: quot;wheelquot;
aNode5
label: quot;wheelquot;
Thursday, March 26, 2009

39. Meta = Description
aNode1
label: quot;carquot;
0..1
parent aNode2
Node label: quot;wheelquot;
label: EString
aNode3
0..* label: quot;wheelquot;
children
aNode4
label: quot;wheelquot;
aNode5
label: quot;wheelquot;
Description Instance
Thursday, March 26, 2009

40. Meta = Description
aNode1
label: quot;carquot;
0..1
parent aNode2
Node label: quot;wheelquot;
label: EString
aNode3
0..* label: quot;wheelquot;
children
aNode4
label: quot;wheelquot;
aNode5
label: quot;wheelquot;
Description Instance
Thursday, March 26, 2009

41. Meta = Description
aNode1
label: quot;carquot;
0..1
parent aNode2
Node label: quot;wheelquot;
label: EString
aNode3
0..* label: quot;wheelquot;
children
aNode4
label: quot;wheelquot;
aNode5
label: quot;wheelquot;
Description Instance
Thursday, March 26, 2009

42. “Modeling is Too Restrictive...”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/two-wrongs/205467442/
“...it will limit my creativity”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

43. Let’s Talk About Creativity
Thursday, March 26, 2009

44. Let’s Talk About Creativity
How To Create A Bean Class
With A Simple Property
– Create an interface to represent the API
for X
• A method to get the value of y
• A method to set the value of y
– A class to implement that API for X
• A variable to store the state for y
• Code to initialize the default value
• A method to get the value of y
• A method to set the value of y
– A factory interface for creating
instances
• A method to create an instance of X
– An class to implement the factory
interface
• A method to create an instance of the
class for X
Thursday, March 26, 2009

45. Let’s Talk About Creativity
How To Create A Bean Class
With A Simple Property
– Create an interface to represent the API
for X
• A method to get the value of y
• A method to set the value of y
– A class to implement that API for X
• A variable to store the state for y
• Code to initialize the default value
• A method to get the value of y
• A method to set the value of y
– A factory interface for creating
instances
• A method to create an instance of X
– An class to implement the factory
interface
• A method to create an instance of the
class for X
Thursday, March 26, 2009

46. Let’s Talk About Creativity
How To Create A Bean Class
With A Simple Property
– Create an interface to represent the API
for X
• A method to get the value of y
• A method to set the value of y
– A class to implement that API for X
• A variable to store the state for y
• Code to initialize the default value
• A method to get the value of y
• A method to set the value of y
– A factory interface for creating
instances
• A method to create an instance of X
– An class to implement the factory
interface
• A method to create an instance of the
class for X
Thursday, March 26, 2009

47. Tedium is the True Killer of Creativity
manually written
code
Frameworks
schematic code (manually written)
Libraries
Thursday, March 26, 2009

48. Code Generation Kills Tedium
Model
manually written
code
Generator
Frameworks
schematic code (generated)
Libraries
Thursday, March 26, 2009

49. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Thursday, March 26, 2009

50. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Eclipse Guru
Generator
Thursday, March 26, 2009

51. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Thursday, March 26, 2009

52. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Thursday, March 26, 2009

53. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Step 2: provide model
Thursday, March 26, 2009

54. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Step 2: provide model
entity CustomerInfo
(id=CUST_ID, sequenceName=CUST_SEQ) {
String emailAddress (notNull, length = 128)
}
Thursday, March 26, 2009

55. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Step 2: provide model
Step 3: generate code
entity CustomerInfo
(id=CUST_ID, sequenceName=CUST_SEQ) {
String emailAddress (notNull, length = 128)
}
Thursday, March 26, 2009

56. How Code Generation Works
Step 1: capture knowledge
Step 2: provide model
Step 3: generate code
@SuppressWarnings(quot;serialquot;)
@Entity
@Table(name = quot;CUSTOMER_INFOquot;)
public class CustomerInfo implements Serializable {
@Id
@GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.SEQUENCE,
generator = quot;idSeqquot;)
@SequenceGenerator(name = quot;idSeqquot;, sequenceName =
quot;CUST_SEQquot;, allocationSize = 1)
@Column(name = quot;CUST_IDquot;, nullable = false)
private String customerId;
public void setCustomerId(String customerId) {
this.customerId = customerId;
}
public entity CustomerInfo
String getCustomerId() {
(id=CUST_ID, sequenceName=CUST_SEQ) {
return customerId;
} String emailAddress (notNull, length = 128)
}
@Column(name = quot;EMAILquot;, nullable = false, length = 128)
private String emailAddress;
public String getEmailAddress() {
return emailAddress;
}
public void setEmailAddress(String emailAddress) {
String oldValue = emailAddress;
this.emailAddress = emailAddress;
firePropertyChangedEvent(quot;emailAddressquot;,
oldValue, this.emailAddress);
}
Thursday, March 26, 2009

57. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

58. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
Oh, really?!
Thursday, March 26, 2009

59. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

60. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
• YOU write the code generator
Thursday, March 26, 2009

61. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
• YOU write the code generator
• YOU are responsible for code quality
Thursday, March 26, 2009

62. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
• YOU write the code generator
• YOU are responsible for code quality
• YOU are responsible for performance
Thursday, March 26, 2009

63. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
• YOU write the code generator
• YOU are responsible for code quality
• YOU are responsible for performance
Thursday, March 26, 2009

64. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
• YOU write the code generator
• YOU are responsible for code quality
• YOU are responsible for performance
• Template Languages have matured
Thursday, March 26, 2009

65. “Ok, But Generated Code Sucks”
• YOU write the code generator
• YOU are responsible for code quality
• YOU are responsible for performance
• Template Languages have matured
• JET / Acceleo / Xpand
Thursday, March 26, 2009

66. “Diagrams Suck”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

67. “Diagrams Suck”
• Use wisely!
Thursday, March 26, 2009

68. “Diagrams Suck”
• Use wisely!
• Domain Specific
Diagrams :-)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

69. “Diagrams Suck”
• Use wisely!
• Domain Specific
Diagrams :-)
• Overview :-)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

70. “Diagrams Suck”
• Use wisely!
• Domain Specific
Diagrams :-)
• Overview :-)
• Reverse
Engineering :-(
Thursday, March 26, 2009

71. “DSLs will create a Tower of Babel”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

72. “DSLs will create a Tower of Babel”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

73. “DSLs will create a Tower of Babel”
Will domain experts write programs?
Thursday, March 26, 2009

74. “DSLs will create a Tower of Babel”
Will domain experts write programs?
No - but they will be able to read them!
Thursday, March 26, 2009

75. “DSLs will create a Tower of Babel”
Will domain experts write programs?
No - but they will be able to read them!
Language barriers get torn down !
Thursday, March 26, 2009

76. “Modeling Enforces Onerous Processes”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/orvaratli/2620988946/
Thursday, March 26, 2009

77. “Modeling Enforces Onerous Processes”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

78. “Modeling Enforces Onerous Processes”
Modeling is just a tool
Thursday, March 26, 2009

79. “Modeling Enforces Onerous Processes”
Modeling is just a tool
Tools are orthogonal to your process
Thursday, March 26, 2009

80. “Modeling Enforces Onerous Processes”
Modeling is just a tool
Tools are orthogonal to your process
Modeling can be use with any kind of process
Thursday, March 26, 2009

81. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

82. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Expensive tools
Thursday, March 26, 2009

83. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Expensive tools
Vendor lock-in
Thursday, March 26, 2009

84. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Expensive tools
Vendor lock-in
Expensive support
contracts
Thursday, March 26, 2009

85. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Expensive tools
Vendor lock-in
Expensive support
contracts
Incompatible versions
Thursday, March 26, 2009

86. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Expensive tools
Vendor lock-in
Expensive support
contracts
Incompatible versions
Thursday, March 26, 2009

87. “Modeling is Just a Marketing Ploy”
Can you say “Open Source”?
SD Times rates EMF “Top Shelf”
(http://www.sdtimes.com/content/article.aspx?ArticleID=32287)
Thursday, March 26, 2009

88. “Modeling Will Make Me Redundant”
Thursday, March 26, 2009

89. Three Things To Take Home
Thursday, March 26, 2009

90. Three Things To Take Home
Generated code is as good as the
effort you put into the Generator
Thursday, March 26, 2009

91. Three Things To Take Home
Generated code is as good as the
effort you put into the Generator
The Eclipse Modeling Project
provides a great tool stack - for free!
Thursday, March 26, 2009

92. Three Things To Take Home
Generated code is as good as the
effort you put into the Generator
The Eclipse Modeling Project
provides a great tool stack - for free!
Modeling will set your creativity free!
Thursday, March 26, 2009