Hi alan

> running explorer on "Smalltalk keys" revealed that there are something
> like 1,700 symbols in the global dictionary! AIEEEEEEEE!! It is unclear
> wheather these are simply classes or pool dictionaries that should be
> reviewd. If these are classes then this complexity should be much 
> abated
> if I manage to implement my Sphere Operating System. ;)

If you do Object withAllSubclasses size you will see that Squeak has a 
lot of classes
;)

>
> The explorer didn't seem to provide any way to inspect the values of
> these keys.... I am in over my head at this point and wouldn't even 
> know
> where to begin implementing such functionality myself....
>
> I also looked at the implementation of System Dictionary and went ahead
> and removed all the depreciated methods except two...
>
> I am very pleased to see the complexity of these older classes being
> managed. =)
>
> For 3.6 I would suggest that
> - all obsolete/depreciated methods be removed

They will but not in 3.6 else people will have headaches to find why 
their system is breaking.
Deprecated methods cost nothing and help maintainers so no problem with 
them

> - All empty method categories be removed and the remainder 
> alphebetized.
> - obsolete classes such as Array2D be removed..
Interesting

> - The global system dictionary be reviewed for obsolete variables. (If 
> I
> understand what I'm talking about correctly).
Which one?
I'm curing SystemDictionary and created a new class SmalltalkImage that 
will have all these variables.


> Most of this is pretty trivial and I was able to do some of it with the
> immage I'm currently using... I am not sure how to submit the changes I
> have made for review and possible inclusion in the release.

Decompose what you are doing in ***small*** well identified changeset 
with comments.
Look at how we did the KCP items http://minnow.cc.gatech.edu/squeak/3254

Send them into the list we will have a look at them.

Then have a look at the KCP page.

Stef


>
> -- 
> "Nobody wants to say how this works. Mabye nobody knows."
>         - The man page for XF86Config, One of the key config files
> behind
> the software driving  the overwhealming majority of Linux desktops.
>
> http://users.rcn.com/alangrimes/
>