Werkflow, Workflow Management Software from Codehaus, is apparently in hibernation. The site contains no link to the software or documentation. It makes nice promises but raises a serious question.

Why?
According to the site a new version of the software is in the works - simpler, without Jelly (thank God) and with only one external dependency (hope that is not commons). It will not have to maintain object graphs and M of N dynamic splits will be possible.

So far so good. But why take down the earlier version? It is extremely rare for a software company to discontinue existing version of a software before a new version is released, unless the software is so bad that they are ashamed of / afraid of / incapable of maintaining. I hope there is a better reason in this case.

Was it that bad as a basic workflow management software?
Personally I didn't dislike it so much except for lack of workflow editor and Jelly. Hani would probably disagree:

So what is so ludicrous about werkflow? For a start, have a look at the dependency list. 18 components. I kid you not. Of these 18, 4 are of version SNAPSHOT, and another 4 are development versions. These jars look suspiciously like all the xml based c**p that maven so gleefully pioneered. Wake up folks, xml-as-code is dead, move on. Your friends might still laugh at you for not using xml to drive everything, and stubbornly writing old fashioned code that's maintainable and legible. However, rest assured that you're the one wearing underpants, while they are the ones with diapers. You are sufficiently potty trained to determine (all by yourself!) when it is time to slip down said underpants and carefully aim resultant product. Your xml obsessed friends on the other hand live in a world where they excrete everything into their diapers, without a care in the world. They delight in releasing all they have to offer willy-nilly. After all, what's a little baggage compared to the delight of not having to find an appropriate receptacle or location?

Source: BileBlog

On a different note today I am forced to evaluate over a dozen open source workflow management software products, whereas even 10 years back you could count them with the finger of one hand. This is a boon as well as a curse.