Smalltalk and Object Orientation: an Introduction - Free

scripting and query language to use. Recently however, a great deal of interest has been shown in using
OO databases with the Web.
Web developments are not only based around a variety of different data types, they also require the
ability to navigate easily around data in a domain model. Many OODB vendors (as well as many users)
are coming to the conclusion that OO databases are ideal for supporting a HTTP server. By storing the
Web site within the OO database the process of exchanging data with the database, and modifying the
Web pages is simplified.
This trend is likely to increase significantly in the future. It is already the case that other OO
database suppliers are adding Java interfaces or making their s ystems Web compliant. It is also likely
that the Web will act as the motivating force which will force many organizations to adopted OO
database technology (as opposed to relational database technology).
33.6 Smalltalk as a training environment
It is likely that Smalltalk will reach a point in the commercial sector where its use does not increase. At
what level this will occur is still unclear, however I believe that Java is going to have a greater impact
on the use of C++ than Smalltalk. If anything, I suspect that Java will help to interest people in OO
languages including Smalltalk. At this point I believe that Smalltalk’s strengths as an educational
language will come to the fore.
Far too many people believe that it is possible to move from a procedural deve lopment language,
such as C, to an OO language just by reading a book on C++. The result is that they develop C programs
but maintain their data within objects. I myself have been involved in discussions with developers who
have claimed that object technology is a waste of time because they did not accrue the benefits claimed.
When pressed it is almost always that case that they failed to invest in appropriate training for their
staff. This was their mistake.
The transition to object technology is not an easy one. Indeed it becomes harder the greater the level
of experience of those trying to make the change. This does not necessarily have anything to do with
their ability to adapt to new ideas, rather I believe it is to do with the fact that they have a ver y firm
grasp of one paradigm where as less experienced software developers have a poorer grasp of (for
example) the procedural paradigm. It is therefore necessary to include in the first object oriented
development attempted by an organization, a suitable training budget. This budget needs to be seen as
an investment in the future, rather than a cost of the actual project involved. In addition it should not be
seen as a language programming exercise. The best approach is to view it as a training in the philosophy
and techniques of object technology. The aim of such a training is not necessarily to educate those
involved in the use of the tools to be used on the actual project (such as OO CASE tools and the OO
language to be used). Such an approach will allow the staff involved to explore the concepts rather than
worrying about a particular syntax and how it differs from what they are used to.
Of course educating software developers in abstract concepts is only of limited use, therefore such
training courses should re-enforce what is being taught with practical experience of a pure OO language
such as Smalltalk. After all it is not possible to write anything in Smalltalk without using objects and
message passing. In addition it is easier to spot conceptual pro blems in Smalltalk (as evidenced by
students attempting to write the main program or worrying about procedures rather than objects).
I therefore believe that Smalltalk will have a concrete future as an educator as well as a practical OO
development environ ment. Indeed it may well have a greater influence as an educational language
allowing organizations to migrate to object technologies in as painless a manner as possible.
33.7 Object technology: the next five years
What will happen to object technology over the next five years? This is both an interesting and a
difficult question. Object technology is certainly gaining an ever increasing share of the market for
commercially developed systems, however there is still a great deal of resistance to it in many quarte rs.
This resistance is sometimes due to ignorance and sometimes due to bigotry. In either case it requires
someone to champion its cause in the affected organizations. However the Web is here, and despite the
hype, is likely to be a major factor during the next ten years.
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