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=1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID, MSGID_RANDY autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 1108a1,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gid1108a1,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,4b06f8f15f01a568 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: f43e6,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gidf43e6,public X-Google-Thread: fac41,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gidfac41,public From: Zane Lewkowicz Subject: [WAYRTW?] (was: Re: Software landmines (loops)) Date: 1998/09/17 Message-ID: <6trq53$r9n$1@xs1.xs4all.nl>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 392158607 X-NNTP-Posting-Host: xs1.xs4all.nl [194.109.6.42] References: <35F6A611.2DD979FD@oma.com> <360095FF.6F82B396@oma.com> Organization: XS4ALL Internet B.V. X-XS4ALL-Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 22:07:03 CEST Newsgroups: comp.lang.eiffel,comp.object,comp.software-eng,comp.lang.ada Date: 1998-09-17T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: In article <360095FF.6F82B396@oma.com>, Tim Ottinger wrote: >Matthew Heaney wrote: >> I just got back from a business trip, and got about halfway through that >> other classic, A Discipline of Programming (Prentice-Hall, 1976). Great >> stuff, although I recommend that those unfamiliar with the predicate >> transformer technique start with David Gries' Science Of Programming. > >Maybe we should have a regular feature here called 'what are you >reading >this week'? Good idea! I'll start: What i'm reading this week: _Object_Oriented_Software_Construction,_Second_Edition_ by Bertrand Meyer Capsule summary: eloquent, comprehensive and vital, yet sadly flawed. _OOSC2e_ is a work filled with value for both novices and masters (and i don't believe i've ever said that before about a technical book), and should be read by both engineers and language designers. It is well-written enough to make reading a pleasure rather than a chore, and it offers a range and depth of understanding that any O-O professional should crave. The flaw? Meyer carelessly mixes the fundamental concepts of object oriented programming with specific implementation decisions and even trivial details, especially when such details distinguish his own O-O language, Eiffel, from its competitors. At times this juxtaposition of sound insights with petty differentiation becomes almost comical, such as when a Summary Of The Important Points From This Chapter contains both "Don't confuse classes with objects, as some would-be O-O gurus have done.", and "Compilation is controlled by a configuration management language called 'Lace'.". For the professional and the cognoscente of O-O i unreservedly recommend _OOSC2e_. For the student, i hesitate, because i fear that the student may become confused about what is essential and what is secondary or optional in O-O. But the book is so well-written, clear, and motivational that it would serve excellently for the learner. I can't decide whether to recommend it or not. Regards, Zooko