idioms for abstract base classes

[Steve Holden]

"Remco Gerlich" <scarblac at pino.selwerd.nl> wrote in message
news:slrn9efvom.300.scarblac at pino.selwerd.nl...
> zooko at zooko.com <zooko at zooko.com> wrote in comp.lang.python:
> > In fact, I suspect that premature design, such as the mistake described
here, is
> > the most common error in software engineering (this contradicts the
common
> > belief that insufficiently farsighted design is the most common problem
in
> > software engineering).
>
> Yes. I'm only just starting to learn this. I'm one of those people who
wants
> to make every design completely "clean and general" and therefore never
get
> anything done (so to speak).
>
> Premature optimization is bad, but premature generalization is the same
thing.
>
NASA, of course, had a name for this: "requirements gold-plating". I have
tended to take a similar approach, which is why I find XP's laterally
opposed philosophy so refreshingly different. Still have a feeling there's a
middle ground, though.

regards
 Steve