Newsgroups: comp.software-eng,comp.object,comp.lang.eiffel,comp.lang.smalltalk,comp.lang.modula3,comp.lang.objective-c
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!MathWorks.Com!solaris.cc.vt.edu!uunet!rcm!rmartin
From: rmartin@rcmcon.com (Robert Martin)
Subject: Re: Static vs Dynamic Typing: Effects on Productivity?
References: <DERWAY.94Aug23180251@alumni.ndc.com> <33u5un$ppr@vienna.eiffel.com>
Organization: R. C. M. Consulting Inc. 708-918-1004
Date: Thu, 1 Sep 1994 04:57:34 GMT
Message-ID: <1994Sep1.045734.17997@rcmcon.com>
Lines: 47
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.software-eng:25288 comp.object:19962 comp.lang.eiffel:6259 comp.lang.smalltalk:16113 comp.lang.modula3:2935 comp.lang.objective-c:3008

bunbury@vienna.eiffel.com (Richard Bunbury) writes:

>As a contribution to the recent discussions on static versus dynamic
>typing on these newsgroups, ISE has prepared a short position
>paper on the Eiffel approach to typing. 


I wish this were more a position paper, and less a "Eiffel is better
than C++" paper.... 


>             Static typing is for dynamic programmers:
>                 On the Eiffel approach to typing.


>     C++ offers some of the typing mechanisms described below.  But
>static  typing  a la C++ is too constraining for realistic software
>development. 

Gee, all those programs that we've all been developing in C++ just
aren't realistic.  This is pure hype and has no place in a position
paper.

>This is evidenced by the  observation  that  most  C++
>programs use casts, that is to say, cheat with the type system.

Most "good" programs in C++ *don't* use casts. 

[...]

>Multiple inheritance
>====================

>This is used routinely in Eiffel (as opposed to  C++  where  it  is
>viewed  with suspicion; 

MI in C++ may be viewed with suspicion by novices and people who are
used to SI languages.  Most consumate C++ programmers use MI freely,
and without suspicion.

[...]

-- 
Robert Martin       | Design Consulting   | Training courses offered:
Object Mentor Assoc.| rmartin@rcmcon.com  |   Object Oriented Analysis
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