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From: Ted Kremenek <kremenek@cs.stanford.edu>
Subject: Re: [Caml-list] Class/prototype-based OO
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 10:56:16 -0700
To: Gerd Stolpmann <info@gerd-stolpmann.de>
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X-Spam: no; 0.00; gerd:01 stolpmann:01 rtti:01 o'caml:01 rtti:01 2006,:98 wrote:01 caml-list:01 structures:02 types:03 complex:04 aug:06 space:07 theory:09 object:09 


On Aug 29, 2006, at 5:03 AM, Gerd Stolpmann wrote:

> In theory, RTTI is possible in O'Caml. But it is very costly: Object
> types are complex structures and not only names. So any downcast would
> be a very expensive operation (a full type check).

Of course, but this cost would only be incurred during the downcast.   
Thus people who do not need to use the operation will not pay for  
it.  Of course, the RTTI information comes with a space cost.