[FRIAM] ABM - OO

[Russell Standish]

On Mon, Jan 21, 2008 at 11:22:33PM -0700, Marcus G. Daniels wrote:
> Alfredo Covaleda V wrote:
> > Months ago you had a discussion respect ABMs-OOP and you referred to 
> > some suitable languages.  I wonder how appropriate are python and PHP5 
> > to make simulations. ¿Are comparable C++, smalltalk, ruby, python and 
> > PHP5 ?
> The odd one out there is C++, which is isn't dynamically typed like the 
> others.   Basically that constraint makes it easier for the compiler to 
> optimize for speed but makes the process of modeling more rigid.  

EcoLab gets around this using a technology called Classdesc, which
provides the necessary reflection capability, without sacrificing the
speed advantages of C++.

> Dynamic typing may be a benefit or a drawback depending on your 
> perspective.  If your goal is to test a specific hypothesis, using a 
> very specific simulation, you probably won't care about dynamic typing.  
> On the other hand, if you are trying to use the computer to poke around 
> a space and understand relations intuitively, and incrementally tweak 
> rules, you'll probably find it useful.
> 

Indeed. I would argue that most scientific modelling is poking around
a space - automated, or dynamic reflection is essential to reduce the
amount of workload required of the programmer. Its one of the reasons
I worked so hard on developing Classdesc, the others being that
Objective C didn't turn me on much, and Repast hadn't been developed
when I started. Oh, and I really found I couldn't do without operator
overloading.

Cheers
-- 

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