Component Object Model Last modified: Thursday, September 30, 2004
A software architecture developed by Microsoft to build component-based applications. COM objects are discrete components, each with a unique identity, which expose interfaces that allow applications and other components to access their features. COM objects are more versatile than Win32 DLLs because they are completely language-independent, have built-in interprocess communications capability, and easily fit into an object-oriented program design. COM was first released in 1993 with OLE2, largely to replace the interprocess communication mechanism DDE used by the initial release of OLE. ActiveX also is based on COM.
•E-mail this definition to a colleague• For internet.com pages about Component Object Model . Also check out the following links! 15 Seconds Home Page  As one of the first sites devoted to the Active Server Community, 15 Seconds contains a wealth of information on many areas of Microsoft Web development technologies for all skill levels. Armstrong's WidgetWare.com This Windows developer's resource center contains links to FAQs, books, articles, and related Web resources for COM, OLE, ActiveX, MFC, and Win32. It is hosted by the author of several books on ActiveX and OLE.	Distributed Computing Object-Oriented Programming ActiveX ATL component component software DCOM interprocess communication (IPC) OLE OpenDoc SOM Give Us Your Feedback Books Component Object Model Products Shop by Top Models: Robert Binder - Testing Object-Oriented Systems: Models, Patterns, and Tools 2 store offers from $46 - $154 Clemens Szyperski, Stephan Murer, Dominik Gruntz - Component Software: Beyond Object-Oriented Programming 2 store offers from $55 - $55 Desmond Francis D'Souza and Alan Cameron Wills - Objects, Components, and Frameworks With Uml: The Catalysis Approach 1 store offers from $40 - $40 Terry Halpin, Bill MacLean, T.A. Halpin, Pat Hallock, Ken Evans - Database Modeling With Microsoft Visio for Enterprise Architects 4 store offers from $46 - $93 John Cheesman and John Daniels - Uml Components: A Simple Process for Specifying Component-Based Software 2 store offers from $30 - $35