Frameworks are Always a Black Box

From Zanecorpwiki

From the perspective of "immediate action"^{[notes 1]} the framework is always a black box. That is, in fact, the operational definition of what is framework and what is product.

For example, when writing a Java program, you can only work within the framework of Java. It is not possible to redefine the Java machine from within the machine. You can only use the machine, never change it.^{[notes 2]}

I.e.: the framework is the stuff you don't mess with.

Notes

1. ↑ The idea of immediate action is meant to imply that while it is possible to view work as from a third person perspective and being cognizant of one's place within the framework, action at any point is guided, and indeed defined by the framework itself.
2. ↑ This is perhaps why many programmers find languages like Perl which allow one to redefine the language itself from within the language disturbing. There is however no contradiction with the general black box assertion. When working within Perl, you can treat Perl as a black box or not. If you choose not to, you simply define a new black box and work within that. Essentially, the point at which you stop meddling with things is where the black box begins.