> A subclass inherits all aspects of parent class.
> Think how many things you will need to override, if you would want to
> subclass from a Number but don't behave like number.

If #is: implementation has to reflect a class hierarchy, then I don't 
see how it can be any better than #isKindOf: and #isMemberOf:

> Obviously, in your example you showing how to not abuse inheritance.

My example is based on real, actual code. I use quite a feww isXXX 
methods to ask objects about a property or a protocol they may or not 
have. It works fine and allows me to control fine discriminations along 
the inheritance. That's not abusing, that's designing.

> And its nothing to do with #is: method :)

Yes, because #isXXX messages are quite special methods: they mostly 
return mere ^true or ^false. So we are talking in this specific case 
about replacing a simple modular, orthogonal set of clear 
implementations with something much more complex and messy.

>
>> I have to be aware of the behavior of each implementation of #is: in the
>> upward inheritance chain if I want to produce the proper tests. Going down,
>> those tests will become more and more complex and hard to grok. Plus,
>> reimplementing any of the #is: can possibly break any of the #is: in
>> subclasses. So all #is: implementations in a given hierarchy are actually
>> dependent. It's pure spaghetti code, as far away from OOP as it gets.
>>
>> I guess I'm missing something. how is this supposed to work ?
>>
> I think you should read mail archives.
 > First it was discussed about year ago (if i remember correctly).

I did read the #is: proposal, at the time. No message that I remember 
addressed the kind of problem I expose above and that I had already in 
mind (although I did not participate in the discussion).

Now I would appreciate a simple answer about what's wrong in my example; 
if there is confusion at this level, the #is: idea is certainly not as 
straightforward as it may seem.

> Then Juan added it into Cius, cleaning a lot of isXXX method.
> I think, we can ask Juan, how he feels about it, because he's the only
> one who employed this idea so far.

So it may be only a nice idea untested in a real situation. I am very 
dubious about its actual value; for one thing, it certainly cannot 
replace the isXXX I use in my own code.

regards,

Stef