Re: Object Class and Data Type

"Laconic2" <laconic2_at_comcast.net> wrote in message news:i46dnRrY4Z4KS_fd4p2dnA_at_comcast.com...
> Thanks for all the comments. I've reallypicked up a lot from this, even
> though there is no consensus.
>
> Here's an interesting paper I found on the differences between object
> modeling and relational modeling, and how to integrate the two. This is
> quoted from . Foundations of Object-Relational Mapping, a paper by Mark
L.
> Fussel.
>
> I don't know enough to comment on the accuracy of Mr. Fussel's
observations,
> but the paper reads well.
>
>
> (quote)
> Summary
> Object models are different from other modeling techniques because they
have
> merged the concept of variables and abstract data types into an abstract
> variable type: an object. Objects have identity, state, and behavior and
> object models are built out of systems of these objects. To make object
> modeling easier, there are concepts of type, inheritance, association, and
> possibly class. Although object modeling is only a small step from data
type
> oriented programming, it produces a significantly different feel and
> structure for programs. Object modeling's focus on identity and behavior
is
> completely different from the relational model's focus on information.
> (end quote)

The paper starts really well - one of the only papers written by someone not in the {Date, Pascal, Darwen, McGoveran} set that describes relational well. Then it gets a little funky, and wanders into pointer-land; contrast it with Date describing a much simpler and less pointer-ridden style in The Third Manifesto.

• Eric