RE: String conversions UTF8 <-> ISO-8859-1

["Tom Thomas" <tom.thomas@autodesk.com>]

> The Unix programming paradigm has always been to create small,
efficient,
> single-purpose tools that can be piped together. Single programs that
"do
> everything" are harder to maintain in the long run, and generally
don't do
> anything very well. This is one of those key concepts about code
reusability
> that object-oriented programmers fail to grasp...

Actually, good object-oriented design and implementation has these exact
same 
goals.  OO, in fact, stresses minimal and well-defined scope of
responsibility.
Robust, flexible systems come from a combination of well-defined objects
in 
collaboration (just the same as combining discreet utility 'programs'). 

I agree with the philosophy - but disagree that object-oriented
disciplines or 
practices are in any way at odds with it.  There are always bad OO
programmers,
just as there are in any paradigm/language.

My $0.02, 
Tom Thomas