[E-Lang] Re: inheritance, delegation, mental models for beginners (was: down with `define' (was: newbie syntax: picayune points from a prejudiced programmer))

[zooko@zooko.com]

> > I think I would prefer that the superclass invoke the subclass's
> > method.
> 
> Ahem. You just explained why I am so nuts about this topic. I guess I have
> to thank you for making my point unintentionally. Delegation, which does not
> do this, actually provides cleaner modularity, which leads with time to more
> reliable maintenance. But it is very attractive, isn't it?


A fascinating assertion that I look forward to exploring once I stop
being a reluctant newbie and start being a hacker.


Hm.



> First step: keep the inheritance/goto statement as a part of the language
...
> Next step (in the language that Dan points out is not Joule): cut the heart
...
> Third step: get rid of it completely because no one ever uses it in its
...


Sounds like an excellent plan to me.  I will enjoy using E much more
for the first N weeks if I can do inheritance the way I am used to.  If
you are right about the value of extra modularity due to non-covariant
recursive method calls then N will be small, else N will be large.  :-)


Regards,

Zooko