Re: set and class
On Apr 15, 8:56 pm, "osmium" <r124c4u...@comcast.net> wrote:
"DBC User" wrties:
I am trying to find the difference between set and class. Could some
one help me? I can understand that a class is like a set. Each subset
could be a inherited class and members are instances. What is the
difference between class and set and if there is any?
I don't think class is a very good term to describe that thing as used in
the computing field - so it's natural to have problems with it.
As a general rule, no everyday English word will really fit when
describing something as abstract or as precise as the elements
we use in computing. So we make do.
But I don't
know of a much better word, template is about the best I can do.
A C++ class certainly has nothing to do with what I would
understand under the everyday English word template.
Skeleton?
Neither.
Apparently the people who coined the term didn't like it too much either.
What makes you say that?
Note that their native language was Norwegian, but I don't mean to imply
that that was a factor. I knew the first usage goes back to at least Sim=
ula
67 so I used this search target on Wikipedia.
It's also the term used in Smalltalk (whose author invented the
name "object oriented"). It seems to have met with a great deal
of acceptance, very quickly.
(I also wouldn't waste my time with the Wikipedia for this.
It's not the most accurate of references.)
--
James Kanze (Gabi Software) email: james.kanze@gmail.com
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