From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_05,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: fac41,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gidfac41,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,4b06f8f15f01a568 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: 1108a1,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gid1108a1,public X-Google-Thread: f43e6,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gidf43e6,public From: "Robert Martin" Subject: Re: Module size (was Re: Software landmines) Date: 1998/09/04 Message-ID: <6spfvf$nun$1@hirame.wwa.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 387942693 References: <6snlos$bh6$1@hirame.wwa.com> <904912650snz@nezumi.demon.co.uk> <35EFFB78.21BBBED6@ksc.nasa.gov> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 Organization: WorldWide Access - Midwestern Internet Services - www.wwa.com Newsgroups: comp.lang.eiffel,comp.object,comp.software-eng,comp.lang.ada Date: 1998-09-04T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Christopher P. Gariepy wrote in message <35EFFB78.21BBBED6@ksc.nasa.gov>... >I'm fairly new to the OO methodology, and I can see a reason to, perhaps,have >methods with 1 line of code - especially if the method is used in >numerous places. > >But...I see no reason to have methods that contain no code at all, even if >they're meant for place-holders. I believe this could potentially create >a maintenance nightmare if the original designers of the system are not >involved in the maintenance of the system. As you know, in OO we create classes. Classes declare methods (functions). What you may not know is that there is a special kind of class called an 'interface' or 'abstract class'. Such classes also have functions declared within them, but those functions have no bodies. They are nothing more than function prototypes. Other classes derive (or inherit) from these interfaces, and *those* classes implement the functions. Indeed, it is this ability to create unimplemented interfaces and then implement them in derived classes that gives OO much of its power and utility. See the article "Abstract classes and Pure Virtual Functions" in the 'publications' section of my website for more information on this topic. Robert C. Martin | Design Consulting | Training courses offered: Object Mentor | rmartin@oma.com | Object Oriented Design 14619 N Somerset Cr | Tel: (800) 338-6716 | C++ Green Oaks IL 60048 | Fax: (847) 918-1023 | http://www.oma.com "One of the great commandments of science is: 'Mistrust arguments from authority.'" -- Carl Sagan