Object technology in perspective

Abstract

Since its beginnings half a century ago, the technology applied to the development of software has continually evolved. Object technology is the result of a long progression of improvements, from the closed subroutine, through structured development techniques and data abstractions, to object-oriented languages, design patterns, and frameworks. In this essay, the author reflects on this evolution, specifically in the areas of development productivity, software maintainability, and paradigm consistency.