As a java software developer I'm deeply concerned in the process of
logging. That is from my point of view one of the only way to
diagnose
an on-site running application.
Even, if not using Log4j for reasons far enough from this mail, I do
agree on most of the arguments shown on this page.
I urge you not to use levels as FINE, FINER, FINEST. Even if it seems
a
good idea, it becomes a nightmare for someone to decide what the
level
of a log should be.
The proposition FATAL, ERROR, WARN, INFO and DEBUG is enough. We do
use
those levels, and only those levels.
Logging to only one logger at a time has announced in this page, is
not
enough. We do use several loggers at a time, for different purpose.
These feature is a must have.
The error handling feature of log4j is consistent : a logger must me
silent !
Logging is one of the toughest algorithmic subject with error
handling
and software configuration in nowadays software.
I feel that trying to get THE API for logging is some kind of
nonsense.
Just look what you may find, each has a distinct standard way
WindowsXXX, Unix, VMS, ...
Good tools are more important that bad API. So I do say : "leave
logging
in the wild, focus on other important subjects that are not to bring
religious war".
Axel Boness
System Archictect
Akazi Technologies