David,

And I am all in favor of loose coupling - somehow this thread has got off track and I am being attributed "beliefs" that I don't have. I was talking about a specific issue - not object messaging in general ...
Ken

>Ken,
>
>>I come from a little different paradigm in developing vert market apps that nobody touches but us - My comments tend to be slanted in that direction, so your point is well taken for those who must get at your code and objects.
>
>Understood, but one of the customers I referred to has an app that I alone have maintained for the past 7 years. When the time came to prepare a web frontend, I found out the importance of separating interface from logic, and the many advantages of a more loosely-coupled design.
>
>Even though you are the only ones to touch your code, that day may well come for you, also.