On 2013-03-06, at 18:15, Tobias Pape <Das.Linux at gmx.de> wrote:

> Am 06.03.2013 um 18:06 schrieb David Corking <lists at dcorking.com>:
> 
>> I read Paul's lists of external plugins. Thanks: I, for one,
>> appreciate the attention to detail.
>> 
>> (1) I recall that there was a plan to include the four Scratch
>> plugins, such as Camera, in Squeak 4.4 . I don't know if we have code
>> in the image that requires them, but they may encourage interesting
>> new packages, or smooth the way for the port of Etoys to trunk.
>> 
>> Please consider adding them in 4.4 or 4.5 all-in-ones.
>> 
>> (2) Cog VMs list of externals seem shorter. Unless Eliot has built the
>> others as internals, Cog VMs may miss important functionality. For
>> example, Linux users could get crashes without the pulse audio plugin.
>> (There are workarounds in one version of Bert's launcher script, but I
>> don't know if they are well tested, or if that version of the script
>> can be included in the All-in-One.) I think all platforms will miss
>> Kedama.
>> 
>> Please mention in the release notes that (for now) users who download
>> the Cog all-in-one will trade functionality for speed.
>> 
>> (3) Tobias Pape wrote:
>>> I was under the impression, that 5.4.7.1 was the
>>> latest, recommended non-Cog VM for mac… go figure
>> 
>> I think Bert has advised you correctly. My recollection is that the
>> "Cocoa Interpreter VM" line of development was abandoned in favour of
>> the Cog VM (I remember hearing that Xcode had some idiosyncrasies that
>> made it difficult to achieve quite the same level of quality as the
>> 'Carbon VM' but that isn't important now.) The 'Carbon VM' interpreter
>> Squeak 4.2.5beta1U.app as linked works fine in OS X.
>> 
> 
> Now I am quite puzzled. The sqMacMain.c of the Carbon VM states quite clearly:
> 
> #error Hi, you are building an obsolete version of the macintosh VM. 
> #error Instead use the xCode projects found in the iOS folder 
> #error Remove these error defines if you really need to build this obsolete 4.x VM
> 
> (as of SVN revision 2287)

Nobody built that Mac interpreter VM in ages. Current XCode doesn't even ship a PPC tool chain anymore, so you cannot easily build it even if you wanted. Same for the 5.4.x series really (which also is more than 2 years old).

In short, there is no up-to-date interpreter VM for the Mac, indeed. Nor is there an official one for Windows, unless I'm mistaken. The only current ones are on Linux.

- Bert -