CompuServe Messages

At this point I'd like to jump in and mention (as if you didn't know) that the reason the Amiga's exec is so good is _because_ it is programmed in an Object-Oriented style, although not in an object-oriented language…. However, it could be replicated fairly quicly in -say – C++ without too much loss of performance, in fact, I think such a library alsready exists somewhere… To my mind what's important is the OOP style, NOT the language, and that is something which has to be learnt. OOP languages simply try to make it more natural. IMHO, advising against OOP because it isn't efficient, miises the point: Firstly, it is efficient, and the Amiga exec proves it. As does Wirth's new Oberon (FN?) framework environment. Both provide services that normally seem to require ten times the memory, in a fast and elegant way. OOP does have a sizeable overhead for small programs, however its great advantage is to enable sensible and easy management of large to huge projects, by imitating a "real-life" architecture. Critical code can still be written in assembler without making the program one jot less object oriented. I have programmed in OOP for about two years now, and the thought of managing any project in any other way now gives me the creeps.. If assembler were the solution there would be scores of fast lean Operating systems out there for us to choose from instead of the behemoths we see. However, you may have noticed that all talk of future OSs is OOP. So the Amiga will be a historic first, I think! Secondly, it is poor coding that is the cause of inefficiency, and also, possibly, the use of an OOP language in a non-OOP way… a common problem! Cheers Alex