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> UML is a modeling language No, it isn't. It might have once aspired to be a modeling language, but it is not in point of actual fact a modeling language. T
by lisper 4y ago
> UML is a modeling language
No, it isn't. It might have once aspired to be a modeling language, but it is not in point of actual fact a modeling language. The reason is, as you yourself point out, people use it to draw pictures, not to produce models. And the reason for that is that all of the tooling and pedagogy is centered around drawing pictures rather than producing models.
An artifact is the thing that people actually use it for. UML is a modeling language in the same sense that (say) a letter-opener is a weapon. You can use a letter-opener as a weapon, but because no one actually does, calling a letter opener a weapon rather than a tool for opening letters is kind of silly.
- taylodl 4y agoI would say the opposite is true - UML started off as a diagramming tool and then people realized the value wasn't in the diagrams but in the models. Most of the tooling however view UML as a set of standardized diagrams - which is just about worthless. Anyway, for about the past 15 to 20 years the majority of UML changes have been to the model. As I said, the only tool I know of that's in alignment with modern UML modeling is Enterprise Architect.
- lisper 4y ago> then people realized the value wasn't in the diagrams but in the models Maybe some people realized this, but that realization is far from universal. I challenge you to show me even a single introduction to UML on the web that shows an example of a model rather than a diagram.
- taylodl 4y agoUnfortunately you're not wrong. That's part of why we're in the dismal state we're in.