Who Should Read This Book

This book is for the professional programmer using C, C++, or another language who wishes to

• Use SOM to build object-oriented class libraries, or

• Write application programs using class libraries that others have implemented using SOM,

even if the programming language does not directly support object-oriented programming.

The discussions in this book are expressed in the commonly used terminology of object-oriented programming. A number of important terms are everyday English words that take on specialized meanings. These terms appear in the Glossary at the back of this book. You may find it worth consulting the Glossary if the unusual significance attached to an otherwise ordinary word puzzles you.

This book assumes that you are an experienced programmer and that you have a general familiarity with the basic notions of object-oriented programming. Practical experience using an object-oriented programming language is helpful, but not essential.

If you would like a good introduction to object-oriented programming or a general survey of the many aspects of the topic, you might enjoy reading one of the following books:

• Booch, G, Object-Oriented Design with Applications, Benjamin/Cummings 1991, ISBN 0-8053-0091-0.

• Budd, T, An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming, Addison-Wesley 1991, ISBN 0-201-54709-0.

• Cox, B, and Novobilski, A, Object-Oriented Programming, An Evolutionary Approach 2nd Edition, Addison-Wesley 1991, ISBN 0-201-54834-8.