Should options in libraries or frameworks default to most commonly used value?

Question

With reference to Reusing HTTP client objects

Why would you not build this as a default option vs. requiring to add code like options.setProperty(HTTPConstants.REUSE_HTTP_CLIENT, "true");

AXIS2 being a web service engine framework makes it even more of a candidate to default this functionality.

Answer 1

I don't think you always know what the most commonly used value is for a given set of choices in a framework. And even if you did, as trends change, so does the ways of using your framework, potentially changing the most commonly used value.

When you are designing a framework you have to make some decisions based on your understanding of your base. Not all of those decisions will prove to be accurate. Certainly not all of them will be accurate forever.