Re: c.d.theory glossary - Class

From: Dawn M. Wolthuis <dwolt_at_tincat-group.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 08:49:06 -0500
Message-ID: <c5u119$1g7$1_at_news.netins.net>


"mAsterdam" <mAsterdam_at_vrijdag.org> wrote in message news:40825d4d$0$566$e4fe514c_at_news.xs4all.nl...
> Dawn M. Wolthuis wrote:
>
> > mAsterdam wrote:
> >>...[Class]
> >>A class is what provides a name and a place for
> >>the abstract behavior of a set of objects
> >>said to belong to the class. (Larry Wall, Apocalypse 12)
> >
> > I don't care for the "what provides" -- would rather see either "a class
is
> > a specification ..." or "a class is a software component..." or
something
> > more concrete
>
> ...specification... would add information on how the class is
> capable to provide what it provides. While that is relevant
> to the maker of the class, it is IMHO not relevant to something
> being a class or not.
> ...component... would add component-based software connotations.
> Please not.

OK, but just "what" is a class then -- anything that provides ...? Zeroing in on it a tad bit better so I don't have to think through whether my wagon might meet this criteria, or a PERSON might exhibit such behavior, ... would be helpful, I think.

> > And how about "abstract attributes and behavior"?
>
> Why restrict it to abstract attributes and behavior?

I guess I'm thinking about a class (such as Person) having attributes (such as eye color) and behavior (such as posting to cdt) that correspond to similar features of Java classes or other OO classes. What else might you put into that list? I think "attributes and behavior" pretty well covers it, right? cheers! --dawn Received on Sun Apr 18 2004 - 15:49:06 CEST

Original text of this message