[xwiki-devs] [proposal] Make EntityReferences easier to create.

I believe that in order for a new api to be accepted by the community, it must be more useful and/or easier to use than the api which it replaces. The old way of getting a document was this: $xwiki.getDocument("xwiki:Main.WebHome") The current way to get a document is this: $xwiki.getDocument($services.model.createDocumentReference($context.wiki, $space, "WebHome")) I am quite sure that the user community will choose the former even if it has escaping issues. Lest one think we can bully the community into choosing the latter by deprecation or removal of methods, recall the dismal sales of Windows Vista even with the control afforded by the proprietary license and the awesome power Microsoft wields over the market. The user is the boss, their word is law. My first proposal is that we move to an easier way to handle document names. My second proposal is a possible way to do it. I would like velocity and groovy script authors to be able to give a command like this: xwiki.getDocument(["Main", "WebHome"]); or in velocity $xwiki.getDocument(["Main", "WebHome"]) To make that possible I am proposing we change the reference model as follows: EntityReference extends List<String> Each reference has a name which is expressed as a string, it also has a reference to the next node and the last node. This is a classic example of a LinkedList. The point is that any List<String> is a valid (although reletive) reference. When a relative reference is passed, it is replaced with a complete reference which is completed using the document in the context. As you prepare your -1's please recognize that the community will never go for the current model and almost anything is better than a rift between the community and the development team. If there are any other ideas of how to make it that easy, I would be glad to hear them. Caleb