I guess that what killed smalltalk is that it was too advanced for the time it started.<br>That´s the same that happened to Lisp. Languages ahead of its time, great philosophies, <br>fantastic tools for a programmer work, but way too advanced for its time.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/11/17 Benjamin L. Russell <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:DekuDekuplex@yahoo.com">DekuDekuplex@yahoo.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
There was an interesting post on comp.lang.smalltalk which, although<br>
semi-off-topic (it concerns Smalltalk as a language, rather than<br>
Squeak as an implementation specifically), reveals some of the<br>
misunderstandings that many industry professionals have toward<br>
Smalltalk in general.<br>
<br>
The main portion of the message consists of a "(virtual) conversation<br>
between a decision maker and a Smalltalk programmer." It seems that<br>
many of these misunderstandings (with the exception of the one related<br>
to speed, since Squeak is actually quite fast) relate to Squeak as<br>
well.<br>
<br>
Any comments?<br>
<br>
A forwarded copy of that post follows:<br>
<br>
On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:15:17 +0100, in comp.lang.smalltalk Guido<br>
Stepken <<a href="mailto:gstepken@googlemail.com">gstepken@googlemail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---<br>
Truth schrieb:<br>
> After watching <a href="http://railsconf.blip.tv/file/2089545/" target="_blank">http://railsconf.blip.tv/file/2089545/</a> I have to<br>
> respond - somewhere. Smalltalk died of a hundred cuts.<br>
<br>
Oh, yes, i really enjoyed watching this.<br>
<br>
I think, smalltalk died a lack of communication what smalltalk really<br>
is:<br>
<br>
Smalltalk is a 'reflection language' about and written in itself,<br>
represented by a bunch of - RAM floating - 'set of activities' - often<br>
miscalled 'objects', communicating like a neuronal network with itself<br>
and with its programmers, with the possibility to put/freeze that in a<br>
single file, called 'image'.<br>
<br>
Just to make that a bit more transparent, here a (virtual)<br>
conversation<br>
between a decision maker and a Smalltalk programmer:<br>
<br>
DM: "Please show me: What have you programmed last years? Where are<br>
your<br>
libraries? Where's your code contribution?"<br>
<br>
- "Sorry, there are no libraries! We have source, yes! My code?<br>
Somewhere within the spittoon of Smalltalk - code. There are no<br>
libraries. They're called 'image'. Can't say, what code i have<br>
contributed in the last years."<br>
<br>
"Ok! And where's our data?"<br>
<br>
- "Sorry, there is no data!"<br>
<br>
"But there must be our data somewhere. Experts say and Oracle sais, we<br>
need a 'data warehouse'. We will have to put all our data into a<br>
central<br>
database!"<br>
<br>
- "Sorry - we have no data, no code - we have 'objects'!"<br>
<br>
"Ok. I understand. Can you store those 'objects' in Oracle?"<br>
<br>
- "Hmmm. No! Does not make any sense."<br>
<br>
"I understand. But all the other programmers say, of course, every<br>
programming language is about code and data and state variables!"<br>
<br>
- "Sorry, no! Smalltalk is a different thing. We even don't have<br>
'states'"<br>
<br>
"Ok, I see, we have to change to Java or to C++ to get that mismatch<br>
solved."<br>
<br>
- "There is no need to switch to other languages. We are quite<br>
productive!"<br>
<br>
"Ok, maybe. But the board of directors urge me to introduce a central<br>
'data warehouse' on Oracle. Experts say, that's what all companies<br>
need<br>
nowadays!"<br>
<br>
- "No need to introduce Oracle. We even can control a whole production<br>
plant with Smalltalk! Statistics included. They're done on the fly."<br>
<br>
"Without central data warehouse? Without Crystal Report, SPSS, Excel?"<br>
<br>
- "Yes! I can simply code that into Smalltalk"<br>
<br>
"But the other programmers say: 'Smalltalk is slow!' You even can't<br>
control a production plant with one single C++ programm! You need<br>
fast 'real time operating systems' and 'real time program language',<br>
all<br>
experts say that!"<br>
<br>
- "Yes, Smalltalk is much slower. And Smalltalk is no 'real time<br>
system'. But it works fine since many years!"<br>
<br>
"Hmmm. Sounds very unrealistic! A whole production plant controlled by<br>
one pentium processor. Ridiculous! By the way: Does Smalltalk 'scale'?<br>
<br>
- "Hmmm. No!"<br>
<br>
"Our controlling sais - They need to do their own statistics on<br>
Crystal<br>
Report, SPSS, Excel. They want to make nice productivity charts! Can<br>
they get their own ODBC - Interface - secured by password - to access<br>
data within the 'Smalltalk Image'?"<br>
<br>
- "Hmmm. No. There is no such interface. But i simply could add some<br>
counting variables in Smalltalk."<br>
<br>
"No, thanx. Our controlling uses sequel! We have paid a lot to teach<br>
them how to make nice production charts with Excel, CR, SPSS and<br>
POWERPOINT, of course! Now you say, the have to learn 'Smalltalk'? No!<br>
They are no programmers! They are controllers! They have to control<br>
you!<br>
<br>
Ok. Conclusion: We probably run into many troubles, if we don't switch<br>
to a central data warehouse and a modern progamming language, that<br>
'scales', like JAVA or C++. All experts say - we need central data<br>
warehouse, advanced controlling in production, near realtime<br>
statistics<br>
via ODBC-access, RT-OS.<br>
<br>
By the way - Can you accellerate Smalltalk code by 'inline assembler',<br>
like in C++?"<br>
<br>
- "Can you accelerate your brain by 'inline assembler'? Does it<br>
scale?"<br>
<br>
"You are fired!"<br>
<br>
Just my 2ct.<br>
<br>
Have fun,<br>
<br>
Guido Stepken<br>
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---<br>
<br>
-- Benjamin L. Russell<br>
--<br>
Benjamin L. Russell / DekuDekuplex at Yahoo dot com<br>
<a href="http://dekudekuplex.wordpress.com/%0ATranslator/Interpreter" target="_blank">http://dekudekuplex.wordpress.com/<br>
Translator/Interpreter</a> / Mobile: +011 81 80-3603-6725<br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>André de Camargo Fernandes<br><br><br>