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From: rfenney@directnet.com (Robert J. Fenney)
Subject: Re: Fat Objects
Message-ID: <rfenney-311095202853@rfenney.slip.netcom.com>
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References: <Pine.3.89.9510261000.B29429-0100000@limoeiro>
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 1995 03:31:22 GMT
Lines: 46

In article <Pine.3.89.9510261000.B29429-0100000@limoeiro>, Marcelo Pereira
Barbosa <mpb@DI.UFPE.BR> wrote:

> On Thu, 26 Oct 1995, Carlos A. Casanova wrote:
> 
> > >There was a discussion in August of "fat objects", which I understood to be
> > >objects with (too) many instance variables.  So I'd like to ask a specific
> > >design question regarding fat objects.
> >
> > >For example, if one were to implement a payroll system in ST, one would be
> > >faced with how to define the data structure/record/object for the Employee.
> > > The data items for an Employee can easily run into the hundreds.  Some of
> > >them can be grouped, e.g., name and address, Quarter-to-Date totals,
> > >Year-to-Date totals, etc.
> >
> > >Would it make sense to do it this way?  What are the alternatives - hundreds
> > >of accessor methods?  I'd appreciate hearing from someone who's successfully
> > >faced such a  fat object. Thanks in advance.
> >
> >
> > The only time that I have seen 'FAT' objects have been in poorly
> > designed systems.  For the most part you can usually find some common
> > thread(s) among the data to justify creating a dependant object(s).
> >
> > Sorry I am being so brief but I'm on my way out the door.
> > Hope this little blurb helps,
> >
> 
>         What is a fat object exactly ? That is, how much variables must
> an object hold to be a fat object ?
> 
> ----------------------------------
> MARCELO PEREIRA BARBOSA
> email: mpb@di.ufpe.br
> Departamento de Informatica
> Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
> Recife, PE - Brasil

What I think is ment by 'FAT' objects in this case is a class n levels deep
in an inheritance chain that has picked up a number of attributes that are
not required by the class but are pressent do to inheritance. This happens
in the case were a number of programmers have performed maintenance on a
system and have not re-factored and cleaned-up the system, they just keep
slamming the new features and bug fixes.

Robert
