An Approach to Interoperable Object Models

Future information processing environments will consist of a vast network of heterogeneous, autonomous, and distributed (HAD) computing resources (hardware, programs, and data). There is increasing agreement that modeling such a system as a distributed collection of objects provides the appropriate framework for integrating HAD resources, in both distributed computing and telecommunications environments. This is illustrated by the number of standards activities related to HAD systems, including communications, distributed systems, database, and programming language standards, that are moving toward adopting, or have already adopted, an object-oriented approach [FONG91]. These activities include not only those of o cial standards bodies, such as ANSI, but also those of industry consortia, such as the Object Management Group (OMG). The use of an objectoriented approach in integrating heterogeneous and autonomous components is also a characteristic of recent developments in personal computer application integration software, such as Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) in Microsoft Windows, and interapplication communication (IAC) facilities in the latest Apple Macintosh operating system.