[KLUG Programming] questions on picking data types

[Adam Tauno WIlliams]

> 1. We seperate the data value from the data representation. We are 
>    thus free to use any data representation we like, and represent
>    it any way (or ways) we want.
> 2. We hide the actual nature of the data value, and protect it
>    from all kinds of erroneous changes.
> 3. We can specify all the code that will work directly with that
>    data, so it will be easier to preserve the integrity of the
>    information, and ensure that the data value does not take on
>    impossible values.
> sounds pretty good, eh? It's what OOP really means, and it's often
> not easyt work. On large, complex systems, it pays off.

The bugger is getting into the situation where you need to maintain this
object code in multiple languages (C++ & PHP & ....).  Thats just a real
bear.

Other than a web-service or RPC mechanism (SOAP/CORBA) I haven't seen an
elegant solution to that problem (other than .NET).  Fortunately
languages like PHP (with v5) are starting to come on board with
supporting things like SOAP.