Re: Generics vs. Message passing: object namespaces

>> In practice, programmers using object-dispatch languages have no  
>> difficulty understanding where a call is going when the see  
>> something like "file.name". Yes the namespace is implicit rather  
>> than explicit, but people are good at context! Honestly, this is a  
>> BIG reason why people like object-dispatch. It is. Honestly.
>
> I don't buy into this. For me, the big win of OOP always was ad-hoc  
> polymorphism, i.e., the ability to invoke different variations of  
> the conceptually same operation without the need to write extensive  
> if-statements everywhere. It never was about the ability to clutter  
> the same names with completely unrelated functionality.

It is amazing how people insist on arguing in absolutes. Notice how  
"A big reason" becomes "THE big win". I didn't for a moment suggest  
that this was the main benefit of OO. I'm just saying that this is a  
VERY popular aspect of OO with the masses (of course this is  
conjecture). In my experience, people like that feature a lot.

Tom