On Sat, 24 May 2003 14:18:04 -0700, Andres Valloud wrote
> Hi.
> 
> > hi again. i want to ask why must everything in squeak be a
> > subclass of something. do you think it's rational?
> 
> It is a way to structure distinctions by behavior.  Look at the first
> distinction, Object.  Object represents the distinction between
> everything you can distinguish and the rest.  Of all the things you may
> distinguish, you may be interested in say Magnitudes.  Then in 
> Numbers, Integers and SmallIntegers.  And so on.
> 

your thinking seems to be based on distinctions... :)

wouldn't you mind to change your terminology in this way: OBJECTS are what 
stems from the process of RECOGNITION. (i replaced the "process of 
distinction making" by onw word: recognition).

> Classes are a way to organize these distinctions by behavior so as to
> avoid restating your intentions all over the place.  For instance if 
> you want every single object in the image to understand #yourself, 
> you just make the instances of Object understand it and that's it. 
>  See how the comparison selectors are implemented in Magnitude for instance.
> 

i have not said i want to restart my intentions. in fact i prefer the 
contrary - to build upon what i have developed (and therefore i prefer 
systems with persistence (like squeak)).

> Classes are not the only way to do this, though.  They are more an
> implementation artifact than a necessity.
> 

i agree.

> Andres.