[cap-talk] Wikipedia: Object-capability model - initialization agreement

[Jed Donnelley]

I just wanted to note my agreement on the "initialization" 
case.  Since I noted the term
"system" in the first means for obtaining a capability:

>(the system starts up with a set of objects that may have references 
>to each other)

I can understand what's going on there.  The above refers to the bootstrapping
operation.  Correct me if I'm wrong.  That's fine.

On a very fine (taste?) point I think there may be an issue of 
ordering between:

1/2.  initial conditions (the system starts up with a set of objects that may
        have references to each other)

and

2/1.  receiving a message (objects can embed references in the messages
         they send)

Mentioning initialization first makes sense in a sequential context.  That is,
any initialization of a whole system must of course must happen first.

However, in terms of importance and ongoing relevance initialization is
insignificant.  As with the creation of the Universe, the initialization of
an Object-capability system is intended to be set and forget.  That
is, once initialized all creation derives from this single act of 
initialization.
Consequently I think of initialization as a rather insignificant case (vital
of course, but of no ongoing significance), so mentioning it first threw
me off somewhat.

--Jed http://www.webstart.com/jed/