Quote: implement Serializable only for value classes and collection classes

Quote: a custom serialized form contains only the object's logical data; better than the default, physical representation [»blocJ_2001]

Quote: ASDL, abstract syntax description language, for describing intermediate representations; concise data structure definitions, pickling functions, and automated implementation; simplification of ASN.1 [»wangDS10_1997]

Quote: ASDL pickling uses a simple prefix encoding for sequence types, product types; no explicit type information except for constructor tags [»wangDS10_1997]

Quote: writing an ASDL pickle is dominated by I/O while reading by memory allocation time

Quote: for documenting inherited classes, first flatten the class before using Eiffel's 'short' command [»meyeB10_1992]

Quote: Eiffel can flatten a class to incorporate all inherited definitions; simplifies distribution [»meyeB9_1990]

Quote: the TOPD flattener removes all hierarchical structure; then it's translated into equivalent COBOL statements [»hendP9_1975]

Quote: a declared instance of a class is expanded into the variables recursively specified by the class's memory [»hendP9_1975]

Quote: while a value persists, so should its description (type); avoids round-trip errors

Quote: with name equivalence, a type only has meaning in a particular program; causes problems for distributed systems and persistent data; simple changes can undo pickled representations

Quote: concurrent use of replicating persistence requires synchronized extern and intern operations [»buneP5_1986]

Quote: the serialized form is part of the API; it limits a class's implementation; serialization is less reliable and less secure, requiring more testing [»blocJ_2001]