I think our disagreement is semantic. I'm just aware (from code I've had to support) that some people think that when controlling another object it is acceptable to break what should be appropriate levels of responsibility. 'Coordinate' prompts people to ask what is meant, compared to control. And can help thinking about appropriate levels of interaction between objects. "Ask that object to save itself", rather than "save that object." Collaboration rather than management. Coordination and cooperation, rather than control.

Matt Lacey

coordinate, not control.

Matt Lacey

coordinate yes. control no. the distinction is important. Control tends towards tendencies to doing things that objects should be doing themselves. It's hard to be autonomous (which objects should be) if there is a dependency on another object to control it.

Matt Lacey

I wouldn't. Go back and create an OO design. Objects shouldn't control other objects.

My theory is that application development is taught because the world wants more than just programmers, it wants people who can do the myriad other tasks involved in software development as well. Yes, in an ideal world everyone would be able to do both/all. But we don't ....