Monday 28 September 2009

Quite What is an Object Action interface

I accidentally invented an Object Action Interface for ISPF/PDF - I called it "Quite What" (QW)

In the early 80's, I programmed a suite of routines that performed an appropriate action for the
object you had most recently selected (either by browsing or editing). In most cases the routine performed the next most logical action e.g. compile a PL/1 program, format a script document but it also had the ability to offer a set of choices.

I intially called the routine "What", as in "What next?" but it was a bit slow. The improved version was simply known as QW. Though I never knew what the Q stood for: Quite or Quick. All I know is, for most English speakers, the letters were nice and close on the keyboard.

I didn't realise it at the time, but looking back I believe I had accidentally invented Object Action programming for ISPF/PDF. I didn't learn about Object Oriented programming until the early 90's.

I believe this was the closest I'd ever get to inventing something patentable.

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