(goops.info.gz) Introductory Remarks

(goops.info.gz) Defining New Classes
 
 Introductory Remarks
 ====================
 
 GOOPS is an object-oriented programming system based on a "metaobject
 protocol" derived from the ones used in CLOS (the Common Lisp Object
 System), tiny-clos (a small Scheme implementation of a subset of CLOS
 functionality) and STKlos.
 
 GOOPS can be used by application authors at a basic level without any
 need to understand what the metaobject protocol (aka "MOP") is and how
 it works.  On the other hand, the MOP underlies even the customizations
 that application authors are likely to make use of very quickly -- such
 as defining an `initialize' method to customize the initialization of
 instances of an application-defined class -- and an understanding of
 the MOP makes it much easier to explain such customizations in a precise
 way.  And in the long run, understanding the MOP is the key both to
 understanding GOOPS at a deeper level and to taking full advantage of
 GOOPS' power, by customizing the behaviour of GOOPS itself.
 
 Each of the following sections of the reference manual is arranged such
 that the most basic usage is introduced first, and then subsequent
 subsections discuss the related internal functions and metaobject
 protocols, finishing with a description of how to customize that area of
 functionality.
 
 These introductory remarks continue with a few words about metaobjects
 and the MOP.  Readers who do not want to be bothered yet with the MOP
 and customization could safely skip this subsection on a first reading,
 and should correspondingly skip subsequent subsections that are
 concerned with internals and customization.
 
 In general, this reference manual assumes familiarity with standard
 object oriented concepts and terminology.  However, some of the terms
 used in GOOPS are less well known, so the Terminology subsection
 provides definitions for these terms.
(goops.info.gz) Introductory Remarks

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