Recycling isn't easy at least when it comes to objects. Corporate information systems shops are using object-oriented languages and tools in the hope that they can cut development time by reusing parts of existing programs when they build new applications. They're trying but success is hard to come by. Before objects came along, programmers needed to keep changing software as the business needs changed.
All business software mimics a business process, such as filling a customer's order.
But object-oriented programs can be designed so that each software object mimics a real element of the business, such as a customer, a salesclerk or an invoice. Since many applications involve customers and invoices, once those elements have been designed, they should be easy to reuse. That in turn should cut the time and cost required to write applications. But many corporate developers say they aren't getting as much reuse as they expected or as quickly. One problem is that it's relatively easy to define a reusable screen or report, developers said.