Riel, Chapter 8
Discussion Questions submitted for Chapter 8 of Riel
Class Variables, Object Variables, and Global Variables
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Is there a difference between a class variable and a global variable? -Jim
Finnessy
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The relationship of object-specific data and class-specific data is not
clear to me. If an object is an instance of the class, then how can
"class-specific data" exist? Aren't class-specific data included in object?
--Hisako Watanabe
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Can you clarify/discuss the two approaches to implementing class-specific
versus object-specific data/behavior? --Khong
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Why should class variables or methods be used to perform bookkeeeping
information?
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How does one use class variables to manage objects in the class? (Sam
Vanderhyden)
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Can you explain Heuristic 8.1 in java context?
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Could you illustrate on Heuristic 8.1 a little bit more? -George
Metaclasses
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What does java use for metaclasses?
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How are metaclasses implemented in Java? Todd
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How are metaclasses in Java different from meta classes in C++? ~yasir.
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What are metaclasses analogous to in java?
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Could you discuss more about the use and implementation of
metaclasses. taha
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Could you clarify what metaclass is?
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Can you clarify the definition of a metaclass? (Sam Vanderhyden)
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Could you explain how metaclasses are implemented in java? -George
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How are metaclasses inmplemented in java? Steve F.
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What differences are likely necessary in metaclass constructors? Todd
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Does java implement metaclasses in the same way as C++? - Jim Finnessy
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When do we need to think about metaclasses? Is it a very important notion
in O-O programming? --Hisako Watanabe
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Is there a class of metaclasses and what is it called? Dessislava Dimova
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Does Java allow for metaclasses? Or does it follow a template structure
like C++? -Peter Likarish
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Will a metaclass have enough behavior for it to be a worthy class? How much
could you do with a metaclass? Steve F
Templates
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Template seems to be an example of metaclass. What other examples are there
that help to see the bigger picture of metaclass? (Raz)
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Does the idea of templates exist in Java? Dessislava Dimova
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What are the template constructs? - Elias Vafiadis
Abstract Classes with no Subclasses
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What was Riel talking about with the "practical" example of an abstract
class that has no subclasses? I didn't understand how that class would be
useful at all, or why it had to be abstract... -Peter Likarish
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Riel doesn't make it clear why an abstract class that is not a base class
would be useful, so in what ways is it useful? --Khong
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Could we discuss an example of the use of an abstract class with no
object-specific data or methods? ~yasir.
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Is there any instance other than namespace pollution where it would be
useful to have an abstract class as a base class? taha
Other Questions
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How does this fit in with object oriented design?
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Besides type checking, what other kinds of errors are caught at compile
time, and what kinds saved for run time? (Raz)
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