Re: Is Apex dead as an environment for Ada & Java?

[jim_snead <basswoodNObaSPAM@my-deja.com.invalid>]

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In article <x7vaenv4vle.fsf@pogner.demon.co.uk>, Simon Wright
<simon@pogner.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Martin Dowie <martin@dowie-cs.demon.co.uk> writes:
> > Apex describe them on their web site -
> > "Rational Apex provides a framework for defining architectural
> > components, known as Rational Subsystems�. These subsystems
> > integrate with the Rational Apex version control system and with Ad
> > 95 package hierarchies. Rational Apex prevents undesirable code
> > references by controlling visibility among architectural
> > components. Attempts to improperly reference units results in
> > compile time error messages. In this way, subsystems enable
> > automatically express and enforce the large-scale structure, or
> > architecture, of their applications."
> Subsystems may be good for a lot of things, but this particular one
> has always struck me as odd; especially in an environment where
> code is designed before it's implemented, and inspected afterwards.

For an OO design we may have a sea of classes created through
an OO drawing tool. I wonder what leverage Apex adds here.
I sense that they are unsure where the architectural enforcement
should come in to play.

1. Design (OO model)  - Enforce the architecture via a tool like Rose
2. Implementation  - Transcription of design, no enforcement necessary
3. Inspection - Check that transcription was correct

Rose can do the enforcement and Apex can do the enforcement, but
how can Apex enforce something that was not in the original
OO model (such as the notion of visibility control)?  And
if these were in the original model, then they would clearly
map into things like Ada 95 private packages. In which case
you would not need the Apex subsystems to enforce anything!

I do agree with you that it is odd and very confusing when you
consider the early design. Thanks for the insight.




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