SOS: Simple Object System

[Maciek Godek]

Hi,
Using some hints you gave me, I've implemented a really tiny
object system -- and I would like to know your opinion ("why
it's still better to use goops" :D)

The notation for defining classes is following (using example of a sphere):

(define sphere
   (class
    '(x y radius)
    '((move (dx dy)
               (set! x (+ x dx))
               (set! y (+ y dy)))
      (scale (factor)
               (set! radius (* factor radius))))))

To make an instance, you simply use instance-of:
(let ((S (instance-of sphere))) ... )
you can supply initial values to the object's props
and call it's methods
(let ((S (instance-of sphere 1 2 3)))
    (in S '(move 1 1)) ;move the sphere from (1 2) to (2 3)
    (in S '(scale 5))
    (get S 'radius)) ; returns 15


The implementation is very simple: every object is
a vector. Its first field is always a reference to the class,
and the remaining fields are object's state (in the example,
the values of x, y and radius of S)

A class definition is a vector consisting of:
hashmap N from property names to vector indices (in object)
hashmap M from member function names to their indices in F
vector F of member functions

There's nothing surprising in here, and won't be. It has, as I can
tell, a few advantages over goops -- mainly, storing objects
as vectors allows for an efficient and convenient object treating
from C level, so boatmen should be satisfied.
Secondly, people accustomed to the object.method() notation
(like myself) won't feel lost and the global namespace will be
kept clean.

The system certainly isn't as complex as goops and doesn't
handle types (in general) so exquisitely. Also, it's unable to
support multiple inheritance efficiently (single inheritance isn't
supported as well, but this could be done quite easily if needed),
but that's not my point.

I just wanted to ask if you have any comments or remarks
to share with (I know I'm not the first guy to implement a thing
like this). I am currently using this system to implement another
system (for networked objects -- I wrote about it in another post)
and so far it caused no trouble.

I attach the working implementation (if anyone's interested).
For those who got this far (yes, that would be... you!), thanks for
your attention :D

M.

sos.scm
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