<div class="gmail_quote">I suggest a new fork or possibly a new orientation for the next Squeak release:<div>Adopt Cuis as the core image and focus on killer applications to attract new Smalltalk users.</div><div>Thousands of downloads are recorded on CNet for simple apps like a voice recorder.</div>
<div>They could all be using and learning Smalltalk. Same for many other applications. </div><div>That would help make Smalltalk popular again.</div><div> </div><div>Recently I found Squeak / Cuis contains many Sound classes. So I wrote up an email suggesting it to a community college teacher friend who had asked for a sound recorder. Imagine my embarrassment when I found the files Squeak supports doesn't include .mp3. </div>
<div> </div><div>Squeak has so much unfinished half starts at programs, why not adopt Juan's work to flush the unnecessary, then get started on building a serious applications team to build truly useful free code. </div>
<div> </div><div>Another example, Roxio is a million dollar software company making a video recorder app. which is not as good as an ordinary VCR and not supported (they have a staff but try getting any real help). Squeak could be capturing a slice of that market and enticing users to learn Smalltalk! And source code can substitute for most support. </div>
<div> </div><div>Another example, Solid Works is a 3D object drafting program that is simple and gets many thousands of users away from AutoDesk. Can Smalltalk deliver most or all of that function with a FFI to openGL and some programming? Certianly!</div>
<div> </div><div>Finally, the one complaint I've heard on the job about Smalltalk is it's slow. I recently added several thousand classes and find simply clicking on the class in a browser is now slow to respond. When end-users, not programmers, can type at 80 words a minute and more in a C app. or they can be limited to 30 wpm or less in a Smalltalk app. they demand C. The new VM was a good improvement, now try to solve the speed issues in the image.</div>
<div> </div><div>Thanks,</div><div>Kirk Fraser</div>
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