From: "MICHAEL I. TROFIMOV"                       <L447%SUEARN2.BITNET@SEARN.SUNET.SE>
Subject: OOP VS NON-OOP?
To: m3
Date:    Mon, 14 Sep 92 17:29 MSK



             "INTER-BRIDGE  TO  OBJECT  WORLD."
                   (Preliminary project)

In relation to Object Oriented Technologies, the current situation in
computing may be characterized by the following.

1) Wide distribution of different Object Oriented approaches.
2) Combining efforts in development of Object Orientation.
3) Many people do not use any Object Oriented technology yet.
4) There is a lot of existent and developed non Object Oriented
   software.

Under these conditions the following attitudes are possible.

1) "agressive":   OOP vs (other) programming;
2) "indifferent": non-OO directions are ignored like wrong;
3) "interactive": competition and/or consolidation (integration).

The second (indifferent) looks like the least optimal and the
third like the most optimal for Object Oriented progress.
Support of different interactions between different objects
produced from different sources is significant achievement of
Object Oriented computing. The possibility to make a bridge
between objects is provided by standards and specifications.
Special standard and specifications would be necessary to make
a bridge between Object Oriented and Procedure Oriented paradigms.
The bridge would be useful for adaptation of old applications in
modern Object Oriented environment as well as to redesign old
sources into Object Oriented design (i.e. to support of continuous
processes of software evolution: from Procedure Oriented to Object
Oriented paradigm).

The   very   attractive   base   for   the   future
projects  is  investigation  of  common
limitations of OOP and of practical troubles, defined with the
theoretical restrictions, because just those very cases are the
most interesting for comparative analysis of different methodologies
to concentrate efforts on non-trivial problems of reality.
The enumeration of the typical cases would be interesting also
as challenge for Object Oriented industry to promote its progress.

There is a theoretical challenge, too.
What types of portability between Object Oriented environment and
non-OO applications are possible and which of them can support a
good OO style? For example, there are well-known hybrid computer
languages and tools (Oberon, Turbo Pascal v.6.0, Modula-3 etc.)
to support both paradigms. However, it seems as first step only,
but not as sufficient decision.

Also, it should be pointed out that some important unsolved problems
of computer education are closely connected with the subject.

                                              MICHAEL I. TROFIMOV,
                                 LABORATORY OF COMPUTER CHEMISTRY,
                                           N.D.ZELINSKY INSTITUTE
                                             OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY,
                                                  ACADEMY OF SCI.,
                                            LENINSKY PROSPECT, 47,
                                           117913, MOSCOW, RUSSIA.

FAX: (095) 135-5328
E-MAIL: L447@SUEARN2.BITNET

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