[Vm-dev] VM team

[Andreas Raab]

Sounds good to me. I see this more as a formalization of the arrangement 
we already have, since you have been taking Tim's role lately with doing 
most of the integration etc. So you've got my support here.

In terms of what to do I think what we most need is a bit more clarity 
for people. For example, how does one actually set up a VMMaker image? 
You kinda need bits from the four corners of the world and I don't think 
the process is described anywhere. The shorthand in my VMMaker image says:
* Load Speech from http://source.squeakfoundation.org/39a
* Load FFI from Universes
* Load VMMaker from http://squeaksource.com/VMMaker
* Load Balloon3D-Constants, Balloon3D-Plugins from 
http://squeaksource.com/Balloon3D
* Load Freetype somehow

This could certainly be improved. The simulator is another piece of the 
story where we should spend enough time that it can actually be used for 
simulation of various aspects. And then maybe fix the cruel and unusal 
UI for VMMaker ;-)

Cheers,
   - Andreas

David T. Lewis wrote:
>  
> The Squeak oversight board suggested that we formalize a VM team
> (http://squeakboard.wordpress.com/) and Bert asked if I would be willing
> to serve as team leader. I replied that I would be happy to do so.
> 
> I'd like to start by asking the list, and specifically the major platform
> developers (Ian, John, Andreas) for your support - do you agree that
> this is a good idea, and are you willing to have me serve as team
> leader?
> 
> We will need to set some team objectives, and then establish a plan
> to achieve them. For starters, here are some initial ideas for a set
> of VM team objectives. All comments, additions, deletions, objections,
> etc are welcome.
> 
> - Community
>   - Communicate status and announcements to the community
>   - Periodically update team objectives based on community input
>   - Ensure availability of known-good versions (SqueakMap, Universes, SqueakSource)
>   - Identify where help is needed (e.g. Sugar, Ubuntu, sound support)
>   - Where appropriate, inform Board of resource or funding needs
>     (e.g. access to computers for building and testing VM distributions)
> - Support Squeak as an open system
>   - Support educational goals, an accessible VM is part of Squeak as a learning tool
>   - Write it in Squeak, run it in Squeak, debug it in Squeak (InterpreterSimulator should work)
>   - Everyone should be able to explore and create their own Squeak VM
>   - Ensure license integrity
> - Provide solid base to enable VM distributions
>   - Support distribution developers (Ian, John, Andreas, Tim, others)
>     - Primary support for Mac/Win/unix/iSqueak
>     - Enablement for others including RiscOS and SqueakNOS, new projects
>     - Identify resources to support distribution developers
>   - Coordinate changes across the several platform source trees and VMMaker
>   - Ensure owners and maintainers for plugins
>   - Drive resolution of Mantis issues
> - Provide base to support new ideas for VM
>   - Support and enable new development (Spoon, Exupery, Cog, Hydra, others)
>   - Enable new image formats (including 64-bit object memory, Cog)
> - Support Squeak new directions
>   - Support eToys, OLPC, SqueakNOS, Cuis, Pharo
>   - Provide common VM where possible, encourage extensions as needed
> 
> Dave
>