Rolf wrote:
>> Is this ANYTHING like how an OOP language works?
>>
>> Harold
>>
> In some ways, yes, but mostly, no.

OOP is not as much about what happens in the code, it is more about what 
happens in the programmer's head.


> Anyway, OOP is a concept that is implemented differently in different
> languages. There are enough differences to make a discussion of OOP
> somewhat difficult without referencing it to a particular language.

Actually, I think the concepts translate well between different languages. 
The concepts of class, object, method, private, public, protected, 
encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, etc are common to all.


> Some languages have similar OO Implementations (Java, C#, etc), but
> others have significantly different implementations (Smalltalk - the
> 'original' OO Language, and C++ - which although commonly used is
> actually a bad example of an OO Language....!).

AFAIK C++ is not considered a "true" OO language. IIRC, the main reason is 
that you can write a C++ program in the old-fashioned procedural way, 
without using a single object.


> I would not know how to recommend to a person who is interested in OO
> concepts how to proceed... whether to study the theory, thn be confused
> by implementations, or whether to study one implementation, then get the
> theory muddled.....

My advice would be to read up on the theory first, the "Design Patterns 
Explained" book has an excellent section on OOP.

Vitaliy 

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