var ElementCommon = {
  addChild : function (parent, name, attrs) {
    if (parent) {
      parent = $(parent);
    }

    var elem = document.createElement(name);

    if (parent) {
      parent.appendChild(elem);
    }

    if (attrs) {
      for (var i = 0; i < attrs.length; i += 2) {
        elem.setAttribute(attrs[i], attrs[i + 1]);
      }
    }

    return $(elem);
  }

  /* use prototype 'update()'

  ,'removeAll' : function (elem) {
    if (elem) {
      while (elem.hasChildNodes()) {
        elem.removeChild(elem.childNodes[elem.childNodes.length - 1]);
      }
    }
    return elem;
  }
  */

  /* use prototype 'update(text)'
  
  ,'setText' : function (elem, text) {
    if (elem) {
      ElementCommon.removeAll(elem);
      elem.appendChild(document.createTextNode(text));
      return elem;
    }
  }
  */
};


Element.addMethods(ElementCommon);