What are meta pointers and meta classes?
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I'm not sure exactly what the meaning of meta is, but it's to best understanding that META usually means something that doesn't really exist. Which makes defining it even harder. How do you define something that doesn't exist. META when used in programming...for instance while reading an article on parsing and EBNF grammars, stated that EBNF is a META language. EBNF, in this case, is a language which dictates the exact syntax of another language. META tags in HTML (AFAIK) are keywords but...not really keywords...keywords should come from the content of a site's document. META classes, going on what i've learned through osmosis about what META means and is...and listening to my sister ramble about the meanings of life (I say it's pointless then you die) and the meta physical aspect of things...like if you really focus and really want to...you can walk through that wall (I say not a f*ckin chance, you try it, running full friggen speed too and when you, as in she, my sister says OUCH!!! I'll say I told you so). Anyways...back to META and it's meaning...what i've gather over the years and through context when i've seen it's use in an programming article or conversation, is that META is kind of a paradox. So to address your question of META classes... My best guess, would be an UML diagram. It's generic as far as typical class layout or syntax is concerned and yet it symbolizes just that...a class...not an object, but rather a blueprint for any object. A UML diagram is easily converted into any "REAL" class using the syntax of any given language and yet is easily understood by any reader familiar with UML and OOD principles. Doesn't matter whether they are CPP or Perl or PHP or JScript or whatever. Thats my best guess... As for pointers...well a pointer when you speak technically is a very specific thing. It's a variable which "Points" at another variable. So a META pointer...an imaginary pointer for the sake of connecting two object diagrams, etc... Cheers :) It's frustrating being a genius and living the life of a moron!!!