Re: the relational model of data objects *and* program objects

> Do you think it is important to address the issue that a model
> of both the data objects and the program objects is required?
> [As distinct from a model only of the data side of the picture]

It is one of the most important issues IMHO. But you hardly can find a solution, attempts to solve the problem or even recognition that such a problem exists. It is clear that there exists two worlds: the world of code and the world of data. You can see this separation anywhere both in theory and practice. For example, in any processor and low level programming you can find processor and memory, code segment and data segment. In higher level system design you can see data-oriented technologies such as numerous data models, object persistence models, query languages, mark-up languages as well as code-oriented technologies such as programming languages, stored procedures, scripting etc. (the list is actually very long). The problem is that it is hard to prove that this distinction can be put at the basis of some next generation approach. But you are right that when I am designing a system I do not want to know if some data is stored in memory, in local file system, in a remote database or in a spaceship as well as I do not want to know how this data is retreived and where the intermediate procedures are taken from and where they are executed.

> What obstacles face the conception of such a model?
> Thanks for any references, articles, etc.

1. Recognition that such a problem exists, i.e., duality between data and code determines/influences all other aspects of the system functionality and semantics and it is possible to build a new model based on such a code-data duality as one of the main principles.
2. Existing models and a large number of people satisfied with them. Of course, those people do not prevent you to create a new alternaitve approach but normally their leaders (orthodox clericals) are quite aggresive and see their role in protecting the "true values" and their flock of believers from anything new coming from outside. So your attempts may be quite dangerous for you.

alex

http://conceptoriented.com Received on Wed Apr 13 2005 - 04:13:00 CDT