Object-oriented versus conventional software development: A comparative case study

Although object-oriented programming techniques have evolved into an accepted technology with recognized benefits for software development, profound qualitative and quantitative comparisons of conventional (module-oriented) and object-oriented systems are missing. We derive statements about qualitative and quantitative differences between conventional module-oriented and object-oriented software systems from the construction of a prototyping tool which was implemented in Modula-2 as well as in C++ (based on an object-oriented application framework). We also discuss the most striking reusability problems of object-oriented software building blocks.