include ActiveModel mixin to use ActiveRecord validations & helpers

activerecord_like_model.rb

# Including ActiveModel validations & conversion 
class SupportRequest
  include ActiveModel::Validations
  include ActiveModel::Conversion
  
  attr_accessor :name, :email, :problem
  validates_presence_of :name, :email, :problem

  def initialize(attributes={})
    self.name    = attributes[:name]
    self.email   = attributes[:email]
    self.problem = attributes[:problem]
  end
  
  # SupportRequest never persisted in the DB
  def persisted?
    false
  end
end

poor_model.rb

# "Stupid" ruby model without ActiveRecord functionality (e.g. validations, to_param/to_path conversion for helpers..)
class SupportRequest
  attr_accessor :name, :email, :problem

  def initialize(attributes={})
    self.name    = attributes[:name]
    self.email   = attributes[:email]
    self.problem = attributes[:problem]
  end
  
  def valid? # Poor validation
    if self.name.blank? || self.email.blank? || self.problem.blank?
      return false
    end
    return true
  end
end