[MATH-349] Dangerous code in "PoissonDistributionImpl"

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 3.0
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Gilles Sadowski
• Created: 05/Mar/10 15:15
• Updated: 23/Mar/11 19:59
• Resolved: 26/Sep/10 21:55

Description

In the following excerpt from class "PoissonDistributionImpl":

PoissonDistributionImpl.java

    public PoissonDistributionImpl(double p, NormalDistribution z) {
        super();
        setNormal(z);
        setMean(p);
    }

(1) Overridable methods are called within the constructor.
(2) The reference "z" is stored and modified within the class.

I've encountered problem (1) in several classes while working on issue 348. In those cases, in order to remove potential problems, I copied/pasted the body of the "setter" methods inside the constructor but I think that a more elegant solution would be to remove the "setters" altogether (i.e. make the classes immutable).
Problem (2) can also create unexpected behaviour. Is it really necessary to pass the "NormalDistribution" object; can't it be always created within the class?