Is Python an object based programming langauge?

Tim Hammerquist tim at vegeta.ath.cx
Tue Mar 12 05:29:25 EST 2002


Christopher Browne <cbbrowne at acm.org> graced us by uttering:
> Tim Hammerquist <tim at vegeta.ath.cx> wrote:
>> Graz Bukanoff <drevenhaug at hotmail.com> graced us by uttering:
>> > Is Python an object based programming langauge?
>> 
>> According to Smalltalk enthusiasts, definitely not.
>> 
>> According to some Pythonistas, yes.
>> 
>> IMNERHO, Python is object _oriented_, but not object _based_. I don't
>> fault Python for this; it was a design decision, and probably a good
>> one.
>> 
>> If the question were "Can Python model my OOP idea?", the answer is an
>> emphatic yes.
> 
> That depends somewhat on your OOP idea.
> 
> If the OOP idea is to use classes to define a hierarchy of methods,
> then sure.
> 
> If your "OOP idea" is to have generic functions ala CLOS, or to do
> FLAVORS-style mixins, then possibly not.

...that's if _you_ asked if Python could model _your_ OOP idea.

I felt comfortable assuming the OP's ideas would fall well within
Python's very wide range of applicability. I took the risk.

Tim Hammerquist
-- 
One should always be in love.  That is the reason one should never marry.
    -- Oscar Wilde



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