[Newbies] general questions about squeak

[Esteban Robles Luna]

Thanks for your reply!

On 10/4/06, Yoshiki Ohshima <yoshiki at squeakland.org> wrote:
>   Esteban,
>
> > I`m new in squeak, but not in smalltalk. I have some questions about
> > the environment of squeak that will help me to understand it.
> > - Firstly, I would like to know how the startup process of squeak is,
> > as detailed as possible.
>
>   - The VM compiled by a C compiler is loaded onto the memory.
>   - The VM allocates a big chunk of memory and load the content of a
>     Squeak .image file on to the chunk pretty much as it is.
>   - In the loaded image, the pointers may have different offset when
>     it was saved, and the endianness may be different, too.  VM
>     adjusts them.
>   - Now, VM look for the initial context and compiled method to dive
>     in and Squeak code start running.
>   - Usually, the initial context is in SmalltalkImage>>snapshot:andQuit:embedded:.
>     After doing a few things, it start processing the "start up
>     list".
>   - The start up list consists of classes that need to do something
>     upon startup.  You can inspect StartUp class var of
>     SystemDictionary and #startUp: methods of them (on the class
>     side).

Yes, this class is responsible of notifying objects that want to know
that the image has opened.

>   - Then the UI process gets started and usual interaction begins.
>

Is this hardcoded in the VM? or is SmalltalkImage responsible of the
start up process and then delegates the control to this process?

> > - Second, MVC projects are just wrapped from morphic?. Later I will
> > explain why I want to know this.
>
>   Yes, I can figure out what you are asking^^;
>
> > - Third, who is responsible of opening the main window and if it`s
> > possible to open other windows without using wxWidgets or something
> > like that. Is it hardcoded in the vm or elsewhere?
>
>   It pretty much is.
>

:-(

> > Why I`m asking these questions?
> > Because I`m interested in using squeak as an alternative for small
> > commercial projects. I want to know if it`s viable of developing an
> > MVC with at least one look and feel and a little core of widgets.
> > I have a look at BobsUI but it`s build on Morphic.
>
>   There may be some confusion among os window and os widgets.  From
> what I read, you seems to want to use OS widgets.  There are a few
> attempts to make the emulation of OS widgets work, but none is well
> maintained.
>

I think that you misunderstand me. The only thing I want from the OS
is that I can open new windows. HostWindowPlugin works?. I want to
have my own widgets implemented in smalltalk, but I want them to look
and feel like OS ones. Why? Because for normal people is costly to get
used to new widgets like Morphic ones.

> http://minnow.cc.gatech.edu/squeak/2286
>
>   Morphic is in general better to do such look enhancements than MVC
> though.  What is the reason for doing it in MVC rather than Morphic.
> (I can imagine a few, but want to hear yours).
>

Because It´s faster, It´s easier for programmers that came from other
smalltalk distributions like VisualWorks, Smalltalk/X, Dolphin to use
it, it`s simple. Many people discard Squeak for doing some projects
because they think it´s UI is not suitable for normal people. I want
Squeak to be my best option for this kind of applications too. I want
to hear yours! I think that each UI framework has it`s advantages and
disadvantages. If I want to develop multimedia application I would
choice Morphic, but what about a simple UI with common widgets? I need
a simple framework like MVC, but with an improved looking.
Regards
Esteban

> -- Yoshiki
>
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