Modularization of a Rails application?

Rails
1

For a client I have to present options for “modularizing” a Rails
application. By “modularization” is meant that the application allows
to plug/unplug (install/uninstall) whole vertical slices of
functionality including models, views, controllers, routes, migrations.

I know that this is not the most recommended approach in Rails.

I have seen both Engines [1] and Hydra [2] which seem to solve a
problem like this at different levels.

Are there any other (even if experimental) approaches to this? Also,
are there reviews or success stories about using these approaches for
the said purpose?

I have also read John W. Long’s article “Better Modularization for
Rails 2.0” [3] and the discussion on the Rails core mailinglist that
it spun off [4].

Does anybody know if there are efforts to realize some of the stuff
discussed there?

Thanks!

[1] http://rails-engines.org/
[2]
RailsConf Europe: Hydra
[3]
http://wiseheartdesign.com/2007/6/15/better-modularization-for-rails-2-0/
[4]
http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-core/browse_thread/thread/45685895778b1357/

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2

Not being very helpful here, but I recently looked into this issue as
well and did not found a satisfactory approach. There very much
should be a better approach, I agree with John in [3]