If the specification is done via interfaces, and the implementation environment cleanly and easily supports enhancement using newly specified interfaces (as does .NET), how can that be bad? That technique supports an imperfect initial spec much better than does a "reference implementation."
At 09:52 AM 2/9/2004, Philip Nelson wrote >> By the time Objectspaces is released almost all O/R mappers >> currently on the market will have all the objectspaces features and >> more. They all also will suffer from the same flaw: there is no general >> specification, every tool has its own specifications, it's hard for a >> customer to swap tools for a specific requirement etc. etc. I really >> really fail to see why that is in any advantage of Microsoft, because it >> will only be a big burden for developers which can truly hold back >> .NET's acceptance in the industry where Java is already a bigger player. > >Is it really that clear that a general specification of OR is a good idea now? >OK, so it's clear you think so and you have given it a lot of thought. But >having lived in the java world for some time before becoming a .net developer, >the general specification approach has not proved that successful either. >Unless the the problem domain is perfectly understood, the specifications >become a hindrance, a barrier to progress. EJB is probably as good an example >as any. The goal was sound, the attempt made by lots of smart people, and the >result, though implemented by a few key players, has had it's share of issues. >Now the java world is considering radical ideas like POJO as an alternative ;-) > >In the case of OR tools, I don't think there is anywhere near enough consensus >on how to do it to implement a sane spec, do you? And if MS, or an outside >party took a stab at it, and the result was anywhere short of perfect, wouldn't >they take every bit as much heat for it, and suffer yet another legacy issue to >absolve themselves of, than they are receiving for not doing it now? > >If you look at other areas where api specs have been written the results are >equally uncompelling, though each has had some important hits. W3C? OASIS? >OMG? J. Merrill / Analytical Software Corp =================================== This list is hosted by DevelopMentorŪ http://www.develop.com Some .NET courses you may be interested in: NEW! Guerrilla ASP.NET, 26 Jan 2004, in Los Angeles http://www.develop.com/courses/gaspdotnetls View archives and manage your subscription(s) at http://discuss.develop.com
