Services & ResourcesWolfram ForumsMathGroup Archive

[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index]

Re: OOP experiments- Component

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg38695] Re: OOP experiments- Component
• From: atelesforos at hotmail.com (Orestis Vantzos)
• Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 06:34:12 -0500 (EST)
• References: <av6l0n$o2i$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Despite being a fervent supporter of OOP myself, I must note that
Mathematica programming has typically a fairly rapid development
cycle: functions are written and tested "in place" and the final
product is usually one or more "one-liners". My point is that most
users are not really interested in organizing their code in as strict
a manner as the OOP paradigm would dictate. The lack of types in Mathematica
is another hint to that. I believe that this "informality" is the main
reason that certain very skilled Mathematica programmers are opposed
to the whole OOP idea. I don't really disagree with them, by the way..
Anyway, I believe that OOP has more to offer to Mathematica in terms
of entirely new logical structures for programming, rather than as a
way to organize "traditional" Mathematica code. I feel that the
typical benefits of 'reusability','modularity',etc. might not be as
useful in Mathematica as in classic programming languages.
Orestis Vantzos

S. Shaw" <steve at shawstudio.com> wrote in message news:<av6l0n$o2i$1 at smc.vnet.net>...
> A series of OOP experiments in Mathematica.
> msg#3 - Component, part#1: Inspiration.
> 
> 
> Ha!  I found out that Google Groups has this newsgroup archived, so I was
> able to search the prior discussions about OOP in Mathematica.
> 
> One comment caught my eye -
> even purely functional programmers might be interested in wrapping a
> functional package into a Component.
> 
> So, while I am going to continue to discuss programming "in the small" - on
> the way to "OOP" - if that doesn't interest you, then think of it as an
> exploration that will lead to making great Components in Mathematica.
> 
> 
> - - - - - - - - - -
> Discussion:
> 
> "Type" (including "Interface") and "Contract" are at the heart of Component
> Programming.
> 
> So is "Unification of data and function".  Therefore, a "component" has
> strong similarities to an "object".
> 
> 
> To be continued...
> 
> -- Steve S. Shaw (ToolmakerSteve)

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Re: OOP experiments- Component
    • From: "Hermann Schmitt" <schmitther@netcologne.de>