What is the simplest, smallest and most convincing extension to the method of systematic object-oriented software construction that can address the needs of concurrent and distributed computing as well as those of sequential computation?
The question is simple. It is not guaranteed to have an answer.
Let's note his binding "concurrency" and "distribution" together,
without providing a definition.
One asset of statically typed OO, is that it allows to some extend
for behaviour specification.
Meyer notes -correctly- that the semantics of a remote call are
different from those of a local one:
Any concurrent semantics we choose will imply that
t.f (...) may have a different effect depending on
whether the object attached to t is handled by the same
processor as the client or by a different one.
Meyer wants to develop an extension, and thus not
to change the semantics of existing (sequential) code.
Therefore, he suggests an additional keyword.
In what are the distributed semantics different?
Why is the keyword approach unacceptable?