For many know that I work in software but few know that I'm into writing too. And since I'm into Dot Net Framework, this is actually a real bad combination, for reasons that I discovered only yesterday.
Not that anything is wrong with software or writing. But both require me to be highly intellectual (of course, which I'm :-)). So my intellectuality is as follows:
class intellectuality{attention to detail; //for example}Now that I'm an intellectual, software and writing to me would be
class software : intellectuality
{
}
class writing : intellectuality
{
}And I would become
class individual : software, writing{}a clear example of multiple inheritence (Mind you! dot net framework doesn't allow this and "why" is what I'll try to address).
Now, I have a software class and a writing class defining me. And each of these two classes are, in turn, defined by one intellectuality class each. When we create an instance of "individual" class, instances of "writing" and "software" are implicitly created. And since writing derives from "intellectuality" an instance of "intellectuality" is also created. Same happens for software also.
So, two intellectuality classes, one writing class and one software class define me.
Now where is all this (intellectuality) going to? Since all this, yet, doesn't make any sense, let's drill into it lil' more and see if this is of any use (otherwise you can always leave your brickbats in comments).
First problem here is, though I'm an individual with ability to code and write and strong intellectual skills, I'm being represented by
two intellectual classes and not one. Mind you! I'm
an intellect. i.e. Since "individual" derives from "writing" and "software", it should essentially have 3 base classes (writing, software and intellectuality) but it has 4 base classes (writing, software and two intellectuality classes).
Second, if I had to use my "attention to detail" ability from my "intellectuality", I do not know which one of the two intellectuality classes to make use of! Should I make use of intellectuality class of writing or of software? (personally I would prefer writing :-)) i.e. if we had to use a method or property of the base class "intellectuality" the runtime doesn't know from which instace to refer to (we have 2 instances created)!
Third, let's say I want to fill in my "intellectuality" with abilities in my "individual". So, I do
intellectuality intellect = new individual();I'm essentially creating a base class as an instance of child class.
We have problems here. As we have already seen, "individual" ends up having two "intellectuality" sub classes and hence the compiler doesn't know which "intellectuality" object I'm trying to refer to!
These seem to be the "not so obvious" reasons for dot net framework banning Multiple Inheritence. This is also called as the "Diamond" problem. And as far as my life is concerned, it's far more simple and easier and, of course, devoid of "Diamond"(s)!!! :-) :-)
