Re: c.d.theory glossary -- definition of "class"

Yeah but in most OO languages a class IS an object, after all. "Alan" <alan_at_erols.com> wrote in message news:2jrjikF14rnj8U1_at_uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Dawn M. Wolthuis" <dwolt_at_tincat-group.com> wrote in message
> news:cba23f$vsv$1_at_news.netins.net...
> > "mAsterdam" <mAsterdam_at_vrijdag.org> wrote in message
> > news:40d0aaa5$0$48959$e4fe514c_at_news.xs4all.nl...
> > > --------------- " PUNTER: Good morning.
> > > Glossary 0.0.4: RECEPTIONIST: Good morning, sir. Can I help you?
> > > june 16, 2004 PUNTER: Well, I'd like to have an argument,
> > >
> > > --------------- please."
> > > -- ARGUMENT SKIT - Graham Chapman & John Cleese
> > >
> > <snip>
> > > [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)
> > >
> > > note:
> > > Other definitons welcome, this goes for the rest as well,
> > > of course.
> > >
> > > Some use 'class' as having exposed data.
> > > Please be explicit about this if you do so.
> >
> > I really don't like the "A class is what ..." definition, especially
since
> > folks like Date keep asking why the OO folks are so confused on what a
> class
> > is -- is it a variable, for example? I would like to make it clear that
> it
> > is metadata. I don't just mean that the source code for the class is
> > metadata -- the class is metadata. Here is a definition I just read in
> > Systems Analysis & Design: An Object-Oriented Approach with UML by
Dennis,
> > Wixom, and Tegarden
> >
> > "A class is the template we use to define objects."
>
>
> I agree. "Class" is often confused with "Instance" of a class. Class is
the
> template, and the class is _instantiated_ when an object that belongs to
> that class is created. For example, we tend to forget that Windows is OO.
A
> "text box" control that you place on a form is an instance of the "text
box"
> class. This class has properties, which are in the template, many of which
> can be specified in the properties tab. The properties are specifiable for
> each instance of the class.
>
>
> >
> > This leaves the meatier definition to "objects" but at least it states
> more
> > clearly what a class is.
>
>
> An object is an instance of a class or subclass.
>
>
>
>
Received on Tue Jun 22 2004 - 23:12:36 CEST