kcr@netxdev.DHL.COM (Ken Ritchie) (11/11/89)
NOTE: the reference was also cross posted to comp.lang.c++, but I don't expect as much interest there (I'm using comp.object, Y&C book threads dangle there). So... for "generic" OO threads, books, history, etc... GOTO comp.object, OK? In article <271@zeek.UUCP> rick@zeek.UUCP (Rick Wilhelm) writes: > >I just received the mailing for a CS book club [featuring new OO book...] >_Object-Oriented Analysis_ Peter Coad & Ed Yourdon, Oct 89 Prentice Hall >The flyer says: "Peter Coad [isa]... Ed Yourdon [isa]..." [...sorry folks, I couldn't resist such a gOOd joke! /kcr] > >Has anyone read these books and have an opinion on them? >Another question: Does Ed Yourdon have the qualifications to write >an OOD book considering that he also wrote _Modern Structured Analysis_? >Is it possible that his ideas won't be purely OO? > >What makes these books a good or bad investment? [pls post or mail thots] Go ahead and buy the book (P-Hall offers 15 day eval/return for the timid). I did, & I think it's decent -- especially if you are into analysis/modelling, or any serious application design/development. This book is not written for hard core programmers (see Meyer's OOSC) but for those who are the business' or user's advocate, or who are the user/analyst/systems/DP/project agent. The book is clearly written, reads well, & has concise "key point" summaries. I'd like it to be a bit longer, and elaborate the diagramming scheme more. Now, about Mr. Ed (Yourdon) -- he is [IMHO] a GREAT WRITER AND PROMOTER of the tidal waves of systems development methodologies. Over the past 2 decades, I have observed (1) consistently good quality of material and presentation, and (2) consistently advancing value in the concepts and methods exposed/promoted. I have bought most of the "YOURDON" books, often sight unseen, and am pleased. [My favorite "collector's item" is the 1975 "orange book", a typewriter-and- felt-pen manuscript from Larry Constantine's work, i.e. STRUCTURED DESIGN.] Ed's a smart guy, and he deserves credit for pulling it together like this. Not that Yourdon sat down and dreamed all this up alone, mind you, but he (a) knew enough about some real problems in this business, to (b) recognize a good method, or the germ of a great idea when he discovered someone with one, and (c) realized the need [a.k.a. market] among us worker bees for the stuff, so he (d) worked with these mavericks and innovators (Constantine, DeMarco, now Coad) to develop, systematize, polish, and present these goodies to us, in the form of newsletters, books, speeches, papers, videos, and consulting. I believe Ed has a compulsion to communicate. He has certainly earned his place as "the midwife of methodology!" [I hope you don't mind this, Ed!] Maybe he doesn't share as much of the authorship credit as he used to... BUT these guys have practiced what they preached... rather, they ended up preaching what they had practiced and succeeded with in their consulting. Ed Yourdon's original startup was going to be "Superprogrammers, Inc." -- until somebody in the NYC red tape circus denied them that business name. So, they became "YOURDON inc." The name stayed, even though Ed didn't. I think you'll be safe with Ed, not avant guarde (OO started 2 decades ago), but certainly in tune with the times. I predict that Yourdon will assist in the birthing of a few more OO babies before he turns in his green robe... [Don't get run over by a gurney, OK Ed?] and he'll help usher the OO offspring along from the white-coat labs and blue-jean campuses into the pin-stripe world of business -- from Wall Street to Cape Kennedy, and Zurich to Rome. Of course, he might fool us and retire on his royalties, but he'd get bored. Right now, he's probably scouting around to see what's coming along next! (Mid 60's: modules; mid 70's: structures; mid 80's: objects; mid 90's: ????) (Don't forget the intermezzos: "relational" and "logic/knowledge/AI" stuff.) Best wishes to you, Rick, and other fellow pilgrims on this OO exploration. I hope my notes will be inspiring/useful to you or someone in this business. _______________________________________________________________________________ Ken Ritchie (aka KCR) Usenet: ...!uunet!netxcom!netxdev!kcr NetExpress Communications, Inc. 1953 Gallows Rd, Suite 300 FAX: USA (703) 749-2375 Vienna, Virginia (USA) 22182 Voice: USA (703) 749-2268 "One must learn to think well before learning to think. Afterward, it proves too difficult!" -- Anatole France Disclaimer: We have over 100 people here, and each one has an opinion or two... _______________________________________________________________________________