WebObjects' entire tool set is based on abstraction layers, and both the tools and processes enhance reusability and modularity without obscuring data or complicating development. The EO Modeler let us easily abstract data from a few sources, and define and manage data, objects and relationships in our test scenario.

For simple projects, there is a scripting language and a DirectToWeb "super-wizard," which let us publish data to the Web quickly and easily. Thankfully, DirectToWeb is a two-way wizard, but it could use some improvement. ColdFusion and Tango each do better jobs with such features. For basic Web-to-database development and prototyping, however, DirectToWeb did the job. For more complex projects, programmers will write Java, C/C++ or Objective C code, using the very well-designed IDE. The cross-component debugger is flexible, and basic functions, such as setting breakpoints and step-throughs, are easy to manage. We found the WebObjects Builder and Interface Builder (which build HTML and Java user interfaces, respectively) consistent in design and easy to use, though we wish we could have taken an HTML interface designed in WebObjects Builder and converted it to a Java UI, and vice versa.

WebObjects provides native support for Oracle, Sybase and Informix databases, along with full ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) support under NT. Adapters for connectivity with back-end packages, such as PeopleSoft and SAP, are available separately. A basic database (Openbase Lite) comes with WebObjects to allow out-of-the-box prototyping, and Apache's Web server is included with the Mac OS version. WebObjects also supports Netscape Server API (NSAPI), Internet Server API (ISAPI), CGI, FastCGI for Apache, Java Web Server (servlets) and WebStar. Any HTTP server on any host can be used to serve WebObjects.

The WebObjects Monitor, a WebObjects application, allows monitoring of active applications. More granular control of the load-balancing services, allowing WebObjects to dynamically monitor load and instantiate new server instances, would be a welcome enhancement.

WebObjects is available in a developer's kit for $1,499 (bundled free with Mac OS), which comes with a version of the server limited to 25 transactions per minute--sufficient for development and smaller deployments. A 100-transaction-per-minute deployment license is $7,995, and unlimited versions are $24,999 for one CPU and $49,999 for multiple CPUs. Aside from the high price point for the unlimited version of WebObjects, we'd be hard-pressed to find anything to dislike here.