A _(Microsoft) component system which promoted strongly-_(type)d contractual interfaces, interface and class versioning, _(distributed) programming (_(Distributed) _(COM) -- DCOM), and component-style code reuse (see *(Combining Languages)). While _(COM) did not support the full range of _(OOP) methodologies, it was arguably the most successful component system ever created. It has since been replaced by the more flexible, secure, and easier-to-use component model in _(Microsoft)'s _(.NET) system. _(COM) was derived from an older, obsolete _(Microsoft) component system known as OLE.

<ul class="links">
<li>_("Microsoft COM Technologies"|http://www.microsoft.com/com/default.asp) - Information and Resources for the Component Object Model-based technologies.
<li>_("Component Development"|http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnanchor/html/componentdevelopmentank.asp) at _(MSDN|http://msdn.microsoft.com/).
</ul>
