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Re: Why would anyone want opacity?
From: "Guillermo J. Rozas" <gjr@martigny.ai.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: Why would anyone want opacity?
Date: Thu, 9 May 96 14:02:20 -0400
> I guess the real difference is that I do not view at all our job as
> making the _task of programming/coding effectively_ easier, but
> instead as making the _task of thinking about processes and
> algorithms_ easier. This is a clear corollary of really believeing
> that the primary purpose of a programming language is to communicate
> between humans precise process development information, and only
> incidentally to make computers carry out some actions.
>
> Strong checking of types and abstractions may (I don't believe
> it but I won't be as adamant) help train effective coders and keep
> them "on the good path". I am quite certain that it just gets in the
> way of _thinking_ about processes and algorithms.
And I am quite certain (and this is from own experience -- I am a
convert on this issue!), that strong typing and abstraction *help*
thinking about processes and algorithms. I have been arguing this for
a while now, and others have supported my view. Maybe it doesn't work
for everybody. But at least in my case I know that I simply *refused*
to accept it for a long time, and only when the evidence became
overwhelming I finally admitted it to be a truth. (subjectively, of
course)
-Matthias