Here's an idea: I think the idea of being able to manipulate and analyze modules *without* loading them is sufficiently important that the initial release of the module system should *not* actual support module loading. Such a system will still be useful for *describing*, say, how to partition an image. Come to think of it, the actual loading should be a completely separate, er, module. That way you can use it for directly assembling production images from makefiles (without ever running a single bytecode of that image). You'll also have a nice *clean* structure (unfettered by the implementations of method dictionaries and symbols etc) with which to perform analysis. Actual loading of modules into an existing image should almost be an afterthought. Sure, people will *want* it, but I think these other properties might be more important.
-Mark (not even a real Squeaker) van Gulik