Hi Chris,<div><br></div><div> the block once mechanism depends on an unimplemented compiler optimization (that blocks without reference to their outer environment are created at compile-time) and so we can't announce this until the compiler work has been done. Cog performance is much more variable than "roughly 3x". Teleplace saw a 3x improvement in frame rate (i.e. an improvement of 3x in a real application). Benchmarks vary much more widely (from < 1x to 5x, with some people claiming 10x for specifics) so perhaps "significant performance increases" is better.</div>
<div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 3:32 PM, Chris Muller <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:asqueaker@gmail.com">asqueaker@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
After reviewing every new package version since 4.1, I came up with<br>
the following for release notes for 4.2. There were, literally,<br>
dozens of little enhancements, fixes and performance improvements<br>
which I simply decided to summarize under:<br>
<br>
"- Many enhancements, fixes, documentation and performance<br>
improvements to the class-library and IDE tools."<br>
<br>
The remaining items either weren't an enhancment, fix, doc of perf, or<br>
otherwise seemed worth mentioning individually.<br>
<br>
I've put as much time as I can afford into this one, but it could use<br>
your help in touching these up. Please add any _major_ (not minor,<br>
please) items I may have missed. Please improve wording of items that<br>
need it; for example: "- Finalization enhancements.".<br>
<br>
Please make final changes on the wiki page:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/6160" target="_blank">http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/6160</a><br>
<br>
rather than replying here, since that would leave the updates<br>
fragmented among multiple e-mails.<br>
<br>
What we end up with on the wiki page is what we will use for the release.<br>
<br>
Thanks you!<br>
Chris<br>
<br>
<br>
Squeak 4.2 Release Notes<br>
<br>
- Compatible with the new Cog VM which provides roughly a 3X,<br>
across-the-board, performance improvement.<br>
- Compatible with signature Squeak packages.<br>
- Many enhancements, fixes, documentation and performance improvements<br>
to the class-library and IDE tools.<br>
- Improved package-dependencies.<br>
- A new number parser allows greater flexibility in the expression of numbers.<br>
- Finalization enhancements.<br>
- Support for caching of block computations, without need for the<br>
developer to declare a variable. ^[time-consuming computation] once<br>
- An interface to the operating system stdio.<br>
- Stricter Rectangles assert screen coordinate orientation. Empty<br>
Rectangles no longer #intersect: anything.<br>
- A tidier image and code-base. Introduced a cleanUp protocol,<br>
removed the last direct users of CrLfFileStream, j3 support,<br>
SyntaxError, and more. Various packages and fonts can now be<br>
unloaded, if a smaller image is desired.<br>
- Replaced the last of the underscore assignments with ANSI assignments.<br>
- A refactoring and unification of Smalltalk and SmalltalkImage globals.<br>
- Support for translucent fonts.<br>
- Squeak's internal timer clock has been improved from millisecond to<br>
microsecond level precision.<br>
- Many enhancements to the internal text editor.<br>
- Added an efficient window-resizing gesture, allowing Squeak windows<br>
to be quickly and easily manipulated.<br>
- A new HelpSystem and Help menu guide new users.<br>
- Restored support for MVC projects.<br>
- SUnit tests now may timeout.<br>
- Improved Squeak's command-line interface to properly support<br>
relative-path qualification to the input script.<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div><br></div>