Values and objects in programming languages
Authors
MacLennan, Bruce J.
Subjects
Values
Objects
Value-oriented
Object-oriented
Applicative
Imperative
Programming style
Pointer
Variable-free
Instances
Names
Objects
Value-oriented
Object-oriented
Applicative
Imperative
Programming style
Pointer
Variable-free
Instances
Names
Advisors
Date of Issue
1981-04
Date
1981-04
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
The terms value-oriented and object-oriented are used to describe both programming languages and programming styles. This paper will describe the differences between values and objects and to show that their proper discrimination can be a valuable aid to conquering program complexity. The first section will show that values amount to timeless abstractions for which the concepts of updating, sharing and instantiation have no meaning. The second section will show that objects exist in time and, hence, can be created, destroyed, copied, shared and updated. The third section shows that proper discrimination of these concepts in programming languages will clarify problems such as the role of state in functional programming. The paper concludes by demonstrating the use of the value/object distinction as a tool for program organization. (Author)
Type
Technical Report
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Operations Research (OR)
Graduate School of Operational and Information Sciences (GSOIS)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
NPS-52-81-006
Sponsors
Prepared for: Chief of Naval Research; Arlington, VA 22217.
Funder
funds provided by the
Chief of Naval Research
Format
25 p. ; 28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.