[etoys-dev] binary loading (was: FreeCell: Etoys interaction with Journal via DBus on Sugar (OLPC))

[Jecel Assumpcao Jr]

Andreas Raab wrote:
> Bert Freudenberg wrote:
> > Basically we want to deploy a Squeak application, without shipping a 
> > custom image. I think that's a new problem, typically Smalltalk apps 
> > ship as customized images.
> 
> Funny you should mention that. This is something I am actually working 
> on in my spare time. I do have the outline for a Squeak application 
> bundle that stores binary representations of code (so that the image 
> does not require a Compiler; in fact I want to be able to use that to 
> load one ;-) and optionally, source code. It's nicely small and fast so 
> far (the entirety of Morphic goes into 700k and takes less than a second 
> to load) but the work's only just started so there is a long ways to go 
> here. If someone is seriously interesting in this direction, drop me a note.

This is my number one priority for the second half of 2009. I won't be
able to start working on it until late August or September, but have a
very brief explanation at http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/5637

Earlier this year I had proposed a much simpler version of this
(http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/584) which wouldn't have the complicated
"swizzling" on load and save nor the multiple viewpoints and new
concurrency model. The focus was exactly on fast binary loading and what
I thought I could get the Squeak community to agree with as a next step.

Since I was unable to get any interest in the "Squeak friendly"
proposal, I decided I might as well go with the more radical design
instead. This will involve a significant rewrite of ObjectMemory with an
organization using segments (like Self) and fragmented object tables
(like "handles" in early Mac software) which I hope will be equally
useful for small and large (64 bit) memories.

-- Jecel