I saw this posting on JavaLobby titled: AOP: Is anyone using it? Below is my response.

On one of my most recent projects a team member and I decided to use the SpringFramework. So I went out and bought a book about it and simply started using it. One day I decided to try to actually implement something using AOP. I decided to do it with logging, because that is what most of the examples I could find used, and after some time got things working the way I wanted.

That was great. I did a victory lap to and from my local Starbucks and once settled down again at my PC with a hot cup of coffee I started to think of all the incredible things I could now do with my newfound AOP understanding.

Then it hit me. When it comes right down to it I have no idea what I would possibly use AOP for on an average project. With all the OO concepts, Design Patterns, libraries, etc... do I really want to inject another advanced concept like AOP into what I'm doing. Better yet would I even know how to do it and how much energy do I want to spend on trying?

Then I came to accept something. I'm simply not smart enough to use AOP and that is OK. If someday someone comes along on a project and convinces me that I need to figure this stuff out I will. Otherwise I'm letting this train pass me by.