chromatic wrote:
On Thursday 03 May 2007 21:53:33 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Log:
[pdd]: Standardizing objects PDD on 'vtable function' rather than 'vtable
method'.
I don't understand this. They're "vtable methods" everywhere else. They all
take at least one parameter--the invocant--so they're methods in just about
every definition of the term I've seen in all of the object systems I've ever
seen.
Actually, the repository has a half-and-half split between "vtable
method" and "vtable function", with "vtable entry" as a distant third.
There seems to be a lot of confusion on the list lately on the
difference between vtable thingys and methods. On the "distinction vs.
similarity" design trade-off, a little distinction is in order here.
Having an invocant isn't the only defining characteristic of a method.
In this case a more important characteristic is whether the code can be
called as a method on the object. Methods can, vtable thingys can't.
I'm happy to take suggestions on better names for vtable thingys.
Allison
