Programming metaphors (Was: Programming as literature.)

[phil hunt]

On 22 Apr 2002 10:50:37 GMT, Jarno J Virtanen <jajvirta at cc.helsinki.fi> wrote:
>
>I find every other metaphor lacking something essential too.  One
>popular metaphor is building construction or engineering activity in
>general.  Personally I just don't get the feeling that there's any of
>those so called components that the final product is made of in computer
>programming.  These components are supposed to be realiable (and in a
>way simple) yet provide something significant to the product.  I can't
>figure any non-trivial and substantial programming component which can
>be viewed having the same reliability (or reliability properties, such
>as "this bolt holds the pressure of N") as the compontents that
>buildings are made of. 

Data structures such as lists and dictionaries.

Built-in libraries such as those for windowing, TCP/IP 
communication, etc.

Automatic storage management.

Imagine having to write a mailer or newsreader without any of them.


-- 
<"><"><"> Philip Hunt <philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk> <"><"><">
"I would guess that he really believes whatever is politically 
advantageous for him to believe." 
                        -- Alison Brooks, referring to Michael
                              Portillo, on soc.history.what-if