Write only Fields ?!

Java's MutableTreeNode offers a setUserObject(Object) method. Its natural counterpart, the getUserObject() method is defined only by the implementing subclass DefaultMutableTreeNode.

This means that whenever your logic needs to work with the data that is associated with a tree node, it needs to downcast not to the interface, but - wait for it - to the actual implementation. This counters a fundamental engineering principle that Java is often trying to promote: interfaces over implementation.

Moreover, offering a setter without a getter suggests that someone in Sun thought that it might be useful to have a variable that can be written-to but not read-from. This makes as much sense as placing 'something' in a safety deposit box and then throwing away all keys. Why would you want to do that? You might just as well throw away that 'something'. Either way, you'll never see it again.

Done Ranting.