Intersecting classes and prototypes

Abstract

The object-oriented programming language design space consists of class-based and prototype-based languages. Both families have been shown to posses their advantages and disadvantages. Hybrid languages featuring both prototype-based and class-based mechanisms have been proposed as a solution. Unfortunately these languages not only unify the advantages but also the disadvantages of both families. We propose a more intersectional point of view and propose a language that inherits the advantages but shuns the disadvantages of both families. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.