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Article:
  What I Hate About Your Programming Language
Subject:   Objective C
Date:   2003-05-13 16:51:56
From:   anonymous2
Response to: Objective C

The problem with Objective C is that there is no "Objective C". What you're describing is gcc Objective C (or possible Apple Objective C), which is only half of "Objective C".


POC follows from Stepstone style Objective C and differs in a number of ways. First of all, automatic garbage collection (in the forms of automatic reference counting and Boehm) if you want. Secondly, honest to God actual closures (called blocks for some reason). Thirdly, rather simplified: no static typing of objects (can be annoying in spots), no protocols, etc. Fourthly, class variables (yay). And finally, the run-time is much much MUCH nicer than Foundation Kit IMHO.


Apple Objective C and POC Objective C come from drastically different families. Their run-times and syntaxes follow different philosophies (Apple seems to be a C++/Java wannabe; POC is a Smalltalk wannabe to the highest degree). It's hard to consider them the same language sometimes.


Anyway, no point to this message at all, except that I hate people equating Apple/GNU Objective C with "Objective C". There are other Objective Cs!
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Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.

  • Objective C
    2003-05-13 19:20:16  anonymous2 [View]

    Well, since one is GNU, I think POC Obj-C should rename itself to SmallC or something. You aren't really going to get around the GNU-stamped name for mindshare.
  • Objective C
    2003-05-13 21:28:55  anonymous2 [View]

    So what you're saying is that Objective C is subjective? ;)

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