Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!netxcom!netxdev!kcr From: kcr@netxdev.DHL.COM (Ken Ritchie) Newsgroups: comp.object Subject: Re: What is Object Oriented Programming, anyway? Summary: classical metaphysics! Keywords: OO concepts Message-ID: <1989Oct24.225044.12239@netxcom.uucp> Date: 24 Oct 89 22:50:44 GMT References: Sender: Ken Ritchie Reply-To: kcr@netxdev.UUCP (Ken Ritchie) Followup-To: comp.object Distribution: comp.object Organization: NetExpress Communications, Inc. Lines: 30 Read Jim Waldo's article, "A New Generation", in UNIX REVIEW (vol 6, nr 8). You see any technotrivia there, but Waldo makes a great statement for the CONCEPTUAL BASIS, and explains WHY the OO perspective IS DIFFERENT (from SP, etc.)... he appeals to Thomas Kuhn's classic, THE STRUCTURE OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION (1970)... Waldo states: "the intangible something that distinguishes the OO practice is that it, unlike conventional programming, is a form of classic metaphysics." What he means, I think, is that the model is based on "modelling" aspects of the world in some abstract way which happens to map nicely onto reality. It amounts to a paradigm shift. I think it's worthwhile to be aware of the source of "leverage" one gets from a tool, language or paradigm -- and also to be conscious of the limitations we incur (Dijkstra/Sapir-Whorf, in the arena of linguistics: the tools/etc even limit our conceptual ability). I hope this helps you... it was nice reading, anyway. [Now, back to coding...] _______________________________________________________________________________ Ken Ritchie (aka KCR) Usenet: ...!uunet!netxcom!netxdev!kcr NetExpress Communications, Inc. 1953 Gallows Rd, Suite 300 FAX: USA (703) 749-2375 Vienna, Virginia (USA) 22182 Voice: USA (703) 749-2268 "Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein Disclaimer: We have over 100 people here, and each one has an opinion or two... _______________________________________________________________________________