From the Editor: The Object of This Issue

By Betty Hawkins



Back when I was in school (no unkind comments, please), an object, as drilled into me by my mother and my aunt (both of whom, as teachers in the school I attended, suffered to teach me English grammar) was a noun that was the result of the action of a verb or a noun equivalent in a prepositional phrase. As an editor, that definition is still the first one that comes to mind when discussing objects. So you can imagine the paradigm shift I had to make when editing this issue!

If you look up "object" in IBM's Dictionary of Computing, you'll find more than a dozen different definitions--none of which defines today's object technology as we discuss here. In this issue, we're talking about putting objects or "parts" together to make a whole--a complete application. If you're into developing applications, you're going to want to read every word. Even if you're not a hard-core developer, you'll learn how object technology is making your computing activities easier and less expensive.

This issue's authors teamed up to ensure they covered a wide range of SOM topics. They all used the same sample program--a valet parking system<>--making it easier for you to understand the similarities and differences in each of the articles.

IBM Technical Interchange '96
Even though you'll find a wealth of information about object technology and IBM's System Object Model in this issue, we've just shown you the tip of the iceberg. Where can you learn more? IBM's Technical Interchange '96 (April 22-26 at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee) provides not only many one-hour elective sessions on developing with objects, but this year the conference is offering five-hour tutorials, including sessions on OpenDoc, SOM, open distributed computing, and cross-platform application portability.

Make your plans now to attend the Technical Interchange, where you'll have the chance to meet and exchange ideas with your peers worldwide. There's over 300 elective technical sessions covering four platforms - AIX, AS/400, OS/2, and S/390 - plus four keynote speakers, an exhibit hall filled with the latest applications, and, of course, some toe-tapping good times to be had in the capital of country music. For more information, call (800) 872-7109 in the U.S. or Canada, or (617) 893-2056 outside of North America.

Betty Hawkins, Editor