Why I like to see Squeak namespaces on Swiki pages

Klaus D. Witzel klaus.witzel at cobss.com
Fri Dec 1 08:37:12 UTC 2006


Hi folks,

I think that now can be the time for attacking the namespace thread from  
the opposite direction :)

Let's assume now and here that syntax and semantics of the given proposal  
is adopted. Then we still face the implication of possible name clash (and  
of course, as always, lack of not-bytecoded documentation).

Somewhere in the namespaces thread it was mentioned that root (?) names  
are maintained on a Wiki (in VW? anyone any hyperlink?). Now, because I  
very much like exposing the symbolic (all global names and their  
components' names in namespace) interface of Squeak to search engines, I  
suggest we make structured Swiki pages for Squeak namespaces, so that the  
next Squeak convert is able to find such manifests (from google, krugle,  
etc) and click the presented hyperlinks to arrive at the respective  
project (download) page.

I hereby volunteer to create and maintain Squeak's namespaces Swiki pages.  
I do so because at around 3.6 I rediscovered Squeak and was really  
disappointed when I didn't find any class names and system category names  
organized and served for www consumption.

I do not anticipate much work for me, because nothing much namespaceable  
exists today in Squeak. And if system categories where decided to be part  
of the then official namespaces, then a very small number of statements in  
a workspace will just kick them in.

Since it cannot be expected that everybody rewrites her/his source code  
just because it can now reference namespaces, the amount of organizational  
work can be kept almost invisible small during an initial phase, IMO. I  
cannot and do not intend to deal with tool support, perhaps someone else  
can join in and add namespaces support to tools (to some minimal extend).

After some time and some use in practice, Squeak's namespaces Swiki pages  
can be reviewed by the community and further directions can be addressed  
(if such can be found by that time and namespaces then still are relevant).

BTW: I hereby promise to not touch the #:: naming and the #::  
implementation of the then official Squeak namespaces solution; will do so  
only locally in my own image ;-)

/Klaus




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