Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!lins From: lins@Apple.COM (Chuck Lins) Newsgroups: comp.object Subject: Re: Do we really need types in OOPL's? Summary: Writing an OS is not a prime requirement for language suitability Message-ID: <45571@apple.Apple.COM> Date: 11 Oct 90 17:06:51 GMT References: <736@tetrauk.UUCP> <18261.27131385@qut.edu.au> <1990Oct11.004854.11732@cbnewsc.att.com> Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA Lines: 29 In article <1990Oct11.004854.11732@cbnewsc.att.com> lgm@cbnewsc.att.com (lawrence.g.mayka) writes: >b) Languages that essentially preclude precise (i.e., not >"conservative") garbage collection (Modula-3). Ah, seems to preclude C++ too. > >Eiffel is an interesting alternative, but has yet to show sufficient >maturity (e.g., multiple competitive implementations) and breadth of >applicability (e.g., employment as the principal language of a >competitive workstation operating system). Since when is the latter a requirement for determining the suitability of a language for any particular fitness of purpose? There are numerous application domains where language features necessary of writing an OS are completely unnecessary. > Lawrence G. Mayka > AT&T Bell Laboratories > lgm@iexist.att.com > -- Chuck Lins | "Is this the kind of work you'd like to do?" Apple Computer, Inc. | -- Front 242 20525 Mariani Avenue | Internet: lins@apple.com Mail Stop 37-BD | AppleLink: LINS@applelink.apple.com Cupertino, CA 95014 | "Self-proclaimed Object Oberon Evangelist" The intersection of Apple's ideas and my ideas yields the empty set.