stateful jQuery widget pattern idea

jquery_widget_factory_idea.js

// Rough "widget factory" pattern idea. Maybe dumb, but I'm just fooling
// around at the moment.

(function($,undefined){
  '$:nomunge'; // Used by YUI compressor.
  
  var widget_name = 'myWidget',
    default_method = 'init',
    default_data = {};
  
  $.fn[ widget_name ] = function( method_arg ) {
    var args = arguments,
      method,
      self = {},
      result;
    
    function init_data( elem, options ) {
      var data;
      elem.data( widget_name, data = elem.data( widget_name ) || default_data );
      if ( options ) {
        data.options = $.extend( data.options, options );
      }
      return data;
    };
    
    self.init = function( options ) {
      var data = init_data( this, options );
      // other init
    };
    
    self.destroy = function() {
      // other cleanup
      this.removeData( widget_name );
    };
    
    // other methods
    
    // Parse arguments.
    if ( typeof method_arg === 'string' && self[ method_arg ] ) {
      args = Array.prototype.slice.call( args, 1 );
      method = method_arg;
    }
    
    // Call the appropriate method in the context of each passed element.
    // If something is returned, return that instead of the default "initial
    // jQuery object" (Beware, this may break the chain)
    this.each(function(){
      result = self[ method || default_method ].apply( this, args );
    });
    
    return result !== undefined ? result : this;
  };
  
})(jQuery);