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Re: OOP in Mathematica

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg28992] Re: OOP in Mathematica
• From: Jens-Peer Kuska <kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de>
• Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 04:07:10 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: Universitaet Leipzig
• References: <9e02ol$30e@smc.vnet.net> <9e2bm5$63u@smc.vnet.net> <CjLN6.9482$dl4.29613@ralph.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Hi,

> With all respect, I think you might have said "in my opinion." 

I have no other opinion than mine.

> OOP is
> revolutionizing software development, by (among other things) separating
> implementation from interface, thus allowing modules to interact more easily
> and with fewer problems.

That's OOP -- wow! I thought it is good programming style, working
in every higher programming language.

> Mathematica's "Module[]" facility is a simple
> embodiment of this idea, 

What is with my beloved Block[] - is it also OOP  ?
Next you will say that patterns are also OOP, and the 
good old pure functions ? Is this object oriented ?
Fine ! Now I know that LISP and Prolog are native
object oriented languages !

> by enclosing code blocks and isolating them from
> their applications, making it possible to change the methods without
> changing the outer appearance and uses.

You change *functions* not methods! and this is functional programming.
Since Mathematica does not know what a data type is, the data 
types can't have methods.
But you can have functions that evaluate special arguments.

Regards
  Jens