Re: Why are methods of java.util.concurrent classes final?

From:
Lew <noone@lewscanon.com>
Newsgroups:
comp.lang.java.programmer
Date:
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:38:30 -0400
Message-ID:
<h21cb6$sp5$1@news.albasani.net>
Eric Sosman wrote:

    In all seriousness, and with no intention of trivializing
anything or demeaning anyone or mocking anybody else: I have not
yet seen *any* explanation for the finality of AtomicInteger
methods other than "That's the way it is."

    Saying that "The designers made a decision" is not an
explanation, only a description of an outcome. I think we can
take it as read that the O.P. understands the outcome, and the
immediate cause thereof (to wit: "The designers made a decision"),
but is curious about what might have motivated the decision,
which from his viewpoint seems capricious.

    The only -- only! -- argument I've seen in this thread that
might -- might! -- cast light on their decision is that the
designers feared an override could violate the semantics of the
AtomicInteger class. I find the argument unconvincing because
plenty of other classes allow overrides despite the harm that
might result from evil or sloppy code. You, of course, are
free to find such arguments not only convincing but compelling --
but please don't belittle those who aren't fooled^H^H^H^H^H^H^H
similarly convinced and compelled.


Plenty of other classes allow overrides, but really many of them arguably
shouldn't.

Read the item in /Effective Java/ "Design and document for inheritance or else
prohibit it" for a better explanation than I can likely offer.

--
Lew

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