TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> The COM API is not now object oriented, but might become so.
> Its description is in an IDL (Interface Definition Language)
> form, showing which parameters are input, which are output,
> which are both. Its behavior now is much like that described for
> C, but is likely to change to be more like that discussed for
> the Java API.
>
> Has any of you ever had to address this sort of a problem, where
> there are multiple APIs that provide entree to a system/product
> from a family of different protocols/mechanisms/language-milieus?
In reality what you have are three APIs each with a different implementation.
The COM implementation is merely a more robust implementation that is not,
necessarily dependent on a specific language architecture.
I think you're splitting hairs, Guy. You're right, COM does not classify as a
language, but you're more likely to confuse readers if you are constantly
trying to acknowledge this difference. I would refer to each as an
"implementation method" or an "access method" or some unique term. I don't
think using the term "calling architecture" would be bad. Treat COM as an equal
with C and Java.
This is also the problem with single-sourcing. You lose nuance which in
documents like this is absolutely critical. In the API and tech docs I've
written, I purposedly rejected any attempts to single-source because it reduces
my ability as a writer to handle unique and complex concepts.
Andrew Plato
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE. http://im.yahoo.com/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Learn how to develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver!
Dec. 7-8, 2000, Orlando, FL -- $100 discount for STC members. http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.
Your web site localized into 32 languages? Maybe not now, but sooner than
you think. Download ForeignExchange's FREE paper, "3 steps to successful
translation management" at http://www.fxtrans.com/3steps.html?tw.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
