AHLL requirements

Anders Petersson bineng@bespin.dhs.org
Fri, 15 Oct 1999 23:06:15 +0200


At 1999-10-14 , you wrote:
>Anders Petersson wrote:
>
> > >So each object will have a security list?
> >
> > I'm thinking of it like a separate namespace for each object, where you can
> > access what you have in your namespace. Or more exactly, you can access
> > what you have a reference/pointer to. The namespace list (now I'm
> > stretching the definition of namespace, I know) would contain those 
> references.
>
>Ahh, so each name would have a corresponding security entry?

Yes that's the idea.

> > Anyway, I simply mean that
> > in order to access another object in any way, the object (the one who wants
> > to access) must be able to specify the wanted object. In ordinary
> > programming, the programmer just uses the variable name, and this could be
> > about any of the variables available. When the system is being programmed
> > run-time, things are a little different. You are not watching the object
> > system from above as usual, you are seeing the world as if you yourself
> > were one of the objects. You can't any longer pick any variable; you are
> > limited to those your "personal object" can see.
> > The namespace consists of such handles. The handles of children are
> > automatically available (possibly part of the namespace).
> > Getting a handle is nothing you can do by yourself. (This appears natural
> > when considering that handles is all there is to security.) You have to be
> > given a handle by someone who 1) already has the handle (possibly the
> > object itself) and 2) has a handle to you. Think of it like this other
> > object running a command copyHandle(hSrc, hDest) where both arguments are
> > handles.
>
>Ok, so how would you explain the character picking something up?

His handle to the place where he stands allows him to see the next spot, 
and what is there. IF he want to pick up what is there, he takes the handle 
to that thing and feeds a method he has with it. The method has the 
additional rights to move things to his inventory.

I'm trying to both get the language together internally, and make it fit 
its purpose. That's not too easy, let me get back later with more 
up-to-date info.

binEng