On Fri, 29 Mar 2002, David Chase wrote:

[snip]
> Just for example -- I wouldn't write a compiler in Squeak.

I would.

There are several compiler written in Squeak including Squeaks own :)

> I might write a game, or a web server, or a graphical app,
> in Squeak.  From what I see of the discussions of threads
> and security on this list, I am not at all sure that I would
> use Squeak in a context where I really needed lots of threads
> running well,

"lots of threads running well" is a bit ambiguous since a lot depends on
what you mean by "lots", "well", and, for that matter, "threads" :)

Squeak *standardly* has "lots of threads running well" (or, at least,
"several threads running well"), unlike many langauge systems. (For
*oodles* of threads runnin *great* in an *easy to program way*, I prefer
Erlang, I confess :)).

[snip]
> That's just my advice, worth at least what you paid for it.
> I downloaded Squeak once and played with it, and thought it
> was very interesting, but could never figure out where to
> begin.  I don't have enough free time for this sort of
> unguided adventure,

FWIW, there are three books on Squeak in print. They are all fairly good,
IMHO, though they have different strengths and weaknesses and surely won't
appeal to everyone. The Smalltalk literature is reasonably large too, and
much of it is very nice.

[snip]
> So, to get to the point, you should either quit whinging about
> how much Java sucks and how misguided Apple is, or you should
> do something about it.

I prefer to do both :)

>  And YOU should do something about it;

I also prefer to get other peple to do something about it :)

> I also want to become more proficient in ML and Haskell, and I
> will pursue whichever learning curve is gentlest.

My experience favored Haskell, FWIW. Check out the HaXML
utilities. Pointers included in the following article:

	http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2001/02/14/functional.html

I also do recommend Erlang. No static typing (in general use), which
really makes ML and Haskell different, but it's very very neat and, IMHO,
fun to program. Lots of good docs. Big libraries. Etc.

> yours, grumpily,

I see your grumpiness and raise you a cranky.

> David Chase (who usually just reads this list)

Cheers,
Bijan Parsia (who usually just thinks that he *is* the list :))