Introduction object-oriented programming

[Donnal Walter]

"Cameron Laird" <claird at lairds.com> wrote:
> Laura Creighton  <lac at strakt.com> wrote:
> >> "Wouter van Marle" <wouterm at spammers-unite-here.com> writes:
> >>
> >> > Can anyone recommend me an introduction on object oriented
> >> > programming in general, and the trick in Python? Preferrably
> >> > tutorial on the web or so.
> .
> .
> .
> >> It may make you want to find an Eiffel compiler.
> .
> .
> .
> >See http://archive.eiffel.com/doc/manuals/technology/oosc/page.html
> >for Table of Contents, Preface, and one Sample chapter.
> >
> >Laura Creighton
> >
>
> I like repeating recommendations of *OOSC*.

Okay, here is another one. I still keep a copy of OOSC on my desk beside my
copy of the Python Cookbook. Excellent book. Several years ago I was quite
enamoured of Eiffel simply because of the book, and I tried adopting Eiffel
for my project. Two reasons that I gave up on it eventually were: (1) at the
time the GUI support for Eiffel was inadequate, and (2) the
code-compile-test cycles were cumbersome. I *love* Python because I can make
a change in my code and test it literally in seconds.

[OT] One of Eiffel's strengths is design by contract (DBC). I've considered
implementing one of the published recipes for EiffelMethods in Python, but I
wonder, is DBC is really necessary if one uses unit tests compulsively?

To the OP, if you want to understand object-oriented principles in Python,
IMHO, you should spend time learning about how namespaces work, especially
how object are bound to local names through parameter passing. YMMV

Donnal Walter
Arkansas Children's Hospital