Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!etsu!cmi.com!kevinh
From: kevinh@cmi.com (Kevin Hegg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: OOP--What do you think?
Message-ID: <9827@etsu.CMI.COM>
Date: 11 Apr 91 12:05:35 GMT
References: <1991Apr10.210516.25812@rice.edu>
Sender: news@etsu.CMI.COM
Distribution: usa
Organization: EDS Corp - Center for Machine Intelligence
Lines: 32

Ryan Richard Koopmans writes
> I recently purchased THINK C 4.0.  When I looked at their
> object oriented implementation of the Mac interface, I was
> more than a little bit confused...

Yes, I thought their class library and examples were cute, but they made 
some standard Mac code a lot more complicated and unreadable than it needs 
to be. I decided not to use their stuff anymore because I am not 
comfortable with the structure of their code and their non-standard OO 
language (not C++). I use MPW C and C++ solely now. 

> is OOP the wave of the future inprogramming or just a passing fad?

Yes and no. I lump OOP in with structured programming, 4GLs, CASE, etc. 
They are all attempts to produce better software more efficiently. The 
unfortunate thing is that they all end up going through the "buzz-word" 
phase where all kinds of outlandish claims are made. OOP is in this phase 
now. It will pass out of this phase. It will not totally revolutionize the 
software industry. It will provide important contributions to the 
programming community.

In summary, I am all for anything that will allow me to develop quality 
software in the most efficient manner. But no matter what new method comes 
around there is no substitute for well-documented, well-structured, 
readable, reuseable code. If the method distracts from this then there is 
less of a chance of me adopting it in my work.

That's my 2 cents. 

Kevin Hegg, EDS Corp - Center for Machine Intelligence
2001 Commonwealth Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105
Phone: (313) 995-0900  Internet: kevinh@cmi.com   Applelink: D5990