[squeak-dev] squeak-beginners (was: The Inbox: Help-Squeak-Project-ct.94.mcz)

Hi Jaromir,

thanks for your feedback, it has been applied in the latest cs.

I don?t like that beginners are being encouraged to use the beginners mail list (http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/pipermail/beginners/); the list is (almost) never being used now and may only confuse newcomers; it?s only value may be as an archive, imo (same for vm-beginners I guess).

Slightly disagree. :) Yes, there's not happening a lot on squeak-beginners, but I think that most questions there will indeed be answered. IMHO having multiple lists for different purposes might help people to get in contact with the community w/o receiving dozens of messages per week ...

Best, Christoph

--- Sent from Squeak Inbox Talk

On 2022-06-28T18:37:11+00:00, mail@jaromir.net wrote:

Hi Christoph, I very much like such a chapter in Squeak Help, thanks! As this, I suppose, aims at beginners it seems to me it?s a bit ?hidden? under the heading ?The Project? which imo doesn?t say much to a beginner. It took me a while to locate ?Contributing to Squeak? in the Help hierarchy; for beginners having it on the same level as Tutorials would seem to me more appropriate.

Other than that I?ve noticed just two minor things:

1. Inbox Talk screenshot contains a link to Tools -> Monticello (a bug?)
2. On ?Squeak Resource Online? page I don?t like that beginners are being encouraged to use the beginners mail list (http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/pipermail/beginners/); the list is (almost) never being used now and may only confuse newcomers; it?s only value may be as an archive, imo (same for vm-beginners I guess). From my own experience I know old or outdated links leading to half-abandoned places are discouraging? Slack is way more useful for beginners than the beginners list.

Thanks again! Best,

--

Jaromír Matas

mail at jaromir.net

From: christoph.thiede at student.hpi.uni-potsdam.de<mailto:christoph.thiede at student.hpi.uni-potsdam.de> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2022 23:14 To: squeak-dev at lists.squeakfoundation.org<mailto:squeak-dev at lists.squeakfoundation.org> Subject: Re: [squeak-dev] The Inbox: Help-Squeak-Project-ct.94.mcz

Community service: Read the HTML-rendered copy of the proposed book below:

Contributing To Squeak

As you might have noticed, Squeak is a completely open system, which makes it very easy not only to explore every interesting detail in the image but also to customize everything at your will. Whether you would like to adjust some colorscode://%20SqueakTheme%20class%3e%3e#addSyntaxHighlighting: , fix a bugcode://self%20systemNavigation%20browseAllImplementorsOf:%20#expectedFailures you have stumbled upon, or add a new feature , everything is flexible and under your control.

Squeak lives from your contributions! Squeak is powered to 100% by volunteer open-source contributions. Whenever you make an adjustment to the base system, you might ask yourself: could others benefit from this change, too?, and if the answer is yes, we invite you to consider contributing back to the community. Also, if you just discovered a bug, have a question, or would like to discuss an idea, our forums are open!

The Squeak Community Model

The majority of communication about the Squeak development takes place on the squeak-dev mailing listhttp://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/squeak-dev . There is a public mailing list archivehttp://lists.squeakfoundation.org/pipermail/squeak-dev/ , but to engage in any discussion, you have to sign uphttp://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/squeak-dev#:~:text=Subscribing%20to%20Squeak%2Ddev to the list. Alternatively, you can report issues on our GitHub issue trackerhttps://github.com/squeak-smalltalk/squeak-object-memory/issues .

On the mailing list, ideas, bug reports, and patches are exchanged. Version control for all Squeak packages is run via Monticellocode://%20MCWorkingCopyBrowser%20open.%20nil. All versions that are uploaded to any Squeak package will automatically be forwarded to the list for further discussion. There are three package repositories:

* The Trunk repository contains the latest integrated patches. Only core developers have write access.
* The Inbox repository is the place for all new suggestions and requests for review. Everyone can upload proposals here without the need to create an account. (You can still create an account on https://source.squeak.org/ and edit the repository info of the inbox repository with your credentials.)
* The Treated Inbox repository is the sidetrack for versions that have been dealt with or that have been superseded.

The usual workflow for a new contribution is to upload it to the inbox, where others will discuss and review it on squeak-dev, and from where it usually will be merged into the Trunk eventually. Here you can learn more about the development process: https://squeak.org/development_process/

<squeakDevelopmentProcess.png>

Making your first contribution

Install the latest Trunk updatescode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:m%20|%20(m%20owner%20submorphIndexOf:%20m)%20=%201]%09filterItem:%20'Update'

• Make your change, preferably from a clean image (to avoid configuration drift)

Open the Monticello Browsercode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:m%20|%20m%20contents%20=%20'Tools']%09filterItem:%20'Monticello%20Browser': * On the left, select the package you have changed (denoted with a *star).

* On the right, select the inbox repository.

* On the top, press save.

• Review your changes, enter a meaningful version message, and accept the new version to upload it.

• That's it! Your contribution has arrived in the inbox and soon you will receive feedback from the community through the mailing list. Keep an eye on your mailbox!

Squeak Inbox Talk

Squeak Inbox Talk is a third-party tool that attempts to simplify the development process by bringing together all the different artifacts that belong to the development process - mailing list, archives, and Monticello versions - and allowing you to interact with them directly from your image. You can access it from the Tools menucode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:m%20|%20m%20contents%20=%20'Tools']%09filterItem:%20'Squeak%20Inbox%20Talk' or install it via: Installer installSqueakInboxTalk.

<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hpi-swa-lab/squeak-inbox-talk/main/assets/SqueakInboxTalk.png>

Further information can be found on GitHub: https://github.com/hpi-swa-lab/squeak-inbox-talk

Further Concepts

• Change sets: Usually, new proposals are best exchanged through an inbox version. However, some ideas consist of changes to multiple packages, when it becomes tricky to work with multiple inbox versions. In this case, a change set is a good alternative. You can open a dual change sorter from the

Toolscode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:m%20|%20m%20contents%20=%20'Tools']%09filterItem:%20'Dual%20Change%20Sorter' and Changescode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:item%20|%20(item%20respondsTo:%20#updateContents)%20and:%20[(item%20instVarNamed:%20'wordingSelector')%20=%20#browseChangesLabel]]    filterItem:%20'Dual%20Change%20Sorter' menus in the docking bar and make a yellow click on the change set list on the left to bring up some options. Create a new change set and copy or move all relevant changes to it. Add a preamble to the change set to add an explaining message and finally file out or mail to list it directly. To install a change set, you can file in it from the file listcode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:m%20|%20m%20contents%20=%20'Tools']%09filterItem:%20'File%20List' or by dragging it into the image.

• Preambles and postscripts: Some changes make it necessary to run some scripts before or after loading the new code to perform any migrations or changes to the object graph. This is possible through preambles and postscripts. To add or edit a script for a Monticello package, select it in the

Monticello browsercode://SqueakContributionHelp%09openDockingBarMenuThat:%20[:m%20|%20m%20contents%20=%20'Tools']%09filterItem:%20'Monticello%20Browser' and press the Scripts button. Add your logic to the code, test it, accept it, and include it in your next inbox version. Note that preambles and postscripts in Trunk packages are required to be idempotent and may be evaluated multiple times. For changesets, you can add a preamble and a postscript as well from the yellow-button menu of the change set list in the change sorter.

• If you identify any other contribution-related concepts that should be mentioned or explained in greater detail here, please feel free to add them here. This would make an ideal first contribution. :-)

Open to all your feedback. But, please, let's not prolong the review process too much to not hinder this from going into the RC. :-)

Best, Christoph

---

Sent from Squeak Inbox Talkhttps://github.com/hpi-swa-lab/squeak-inbox-talk

On 2022-06-21T20:59:48+00:00, commits at source.squeak.org wrote:

...

A new version of Help-Squeak-Project was added to project The Inbox: http://source.squeak.org/inbox/Help-Squeak-Project-ct.94.mcz

==================== Summary ====================

Name: Help-Squeak-Project-ct.94 Author: ct Time: 21 June 2022, 10:59:45.096176 pm UUID: e922e850-4074-764e-bb2d-a7754075a639 Ancestors: Help-Squeak-Project-ct.93

Proposal: Adds help on how to contribute to Squeak. Short description of the community model, the development process, and some required/recommended tools. Updates the URLs in the page 'Squeak Resources Online' and adds a link to the new tutorial. Reorders project pages. Adds a very simple way to include figures to the new help book.

=============== Diff against Help-Squeak-Project-ct.93 ===============

Item was added:

• SqueakProjectHelp subclass: #SqueakContributionHelp

• instanceVariableNames: ''
  

• classVariableNames: ''
  

• poolDictionaries: ''
  

• category: 'Help-Squeak-Project'!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>bookBlurb (in category 'accessing') -----
• bookBlurb

• self flag: #moveUpstream.
  

• ^ (self perform: self defaultPage) contents!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>bookName (in category 'accessing') -----
• bookName

• ^ 'Contributing to Squeak'!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>communityModel (in category 'pages') -----

(excessive size, no diff calculated)

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>contributingToSqueak (in category 'pages') -----
• contributingToSqueak

• "This method was automatically generated. Edit it using:"
  

• "SqueakContributionHelp edit: #contributingToSqueak"
  

• <generated>
  

• ^(HelpTopic
  

•     title: 'Contributing'
  

•     contents:
  

• 'Contributing To Squeak
• As you might have noticed, Squeak is a completely open system, which makes it very easy not only to explore every interesting detail in the image but also to customize everything at your will. Whether you would like to adjust some colors, fix a bug you have stumbled upon, or add a new feature, everything is flexible and under your control.
• Squeak lives from your contributions!!!! Squeak is powered to 100% by volunteer open-source contributions. Whenever you make an adjustment to the base system, you might ask yourself: could others benefit from this change, too?, and if the answer is yes, we invite you to consider contributing back to the community. Also, if you just discovered a bug, have a question, or would like to discuss an idea, our forums are open!!!!!!
• ]style[(24 39 22 158 18 8 3 28 17 50 37 143 43 197)a0b,a0,a0i,a0,Rcode:// SqueakTheme class>>#addSyntaxHighlighting:;,a0,Rcode://
• self systemNavigation browseAllImplementorsOf: #expectedFailures;,a0,,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0!!' readStream nextChunkText)

•         key: #contributingToSqueak;
  

•         shouldStyle: false;
  

•         yourself!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>defaultPage (in category 'accessing') -----
• defaultPage

• ^ #contributingToSqueak!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>firstContribution (in category 'pages') -----
• firstContribution

• "This method was automatically generated. Edit it using:"
  

• "SqueakContributionHelp edit: #firstContribution"
  

• <generated>
  

• ^(HelpTopic
  

•     title: 'First Contribution'
  

•     contents:
  

• 'Making your first contribution
• • Install the latest Trunk updates
• • Make your change, preferably from a clean image (to avoid configuration drift)
• • Open the Monticello Browser:

• * On the left, select the package you have changed (denoted with a *star).
  

• * On the right, select the inbox repository.
  

• * On the top, press save.
  

• • Review your changes, enter a meaningful version message, and accept the new version to upload it.
• • That''s it!!!! Your contribution has arrived in the inbox and soon you will receive feedback from the community through the mailing list. Keep an eye on your mailbox!!!!!!
• ]style[(30 4 32 84 27 5 12 12 7 34 5 6 13 12 5 34 5 64 6 33 10 152)a0b,a0,Rcode://
• SqueakContributionHelp

• openDockingBarMenuThat: [:m | (m owner submorphIndexOf: m) = 1]
  

• filterItem: ''Update'';,a0,Rcode://
  

• SqueakContributionHelp

• openDockingBarMenuThat: [:m | m contents = ''Tools'']
  

• filterItem: ''Monticello Browser'';,,a0b,a0,a0b,a0,a0i,a0,a0b,a0,a0b,a0,a0b,a0,a0b,a0,a0i,a0!!' readStream nextChunkText)
  

•         key: #firstContribution;
  

•         shouldStyle: false;
  

•         yourself!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>furtherConcepts (in category 'pages') -----
• furtherConcepts

• "This method was automatically generated. Edit it using:"
  

• "SqueakContributionHelp edit: #furtherConcepts"
  

• <generated>
  

• ^(HelpTopic
  

•     title: 'Further Concepts'
  

•     contents:
  

• 'Further Concepts
• • Change sets: Usually, new proposals are best exchanged through an inbox version. However, some ideas consist of changes to multiple packages, when it becomes tricky to work with multiple inbox versions. In this case, a change set is a good alternative. You can open a dual change sorter from the Tools and Changes menus in the docking bar and make a yellow click on the change set list on the left to bring up some options. Create a new change set and copy or move all relevant changes to it. Add a preamble to the change set to add an explaining message and finally file out or mail to list it directly. To install a change set, you can file in it from the file list or by dragging it into the image.
• • Preambles and postscripts: Some changes make it necessary to run some scripts before or after loading the new code to perform any migrations or changes to the object graph. This is possible through preambles and postscripts. To add or edit a script for a Monticello package, select it in the Monticello browser and press the Scripts button. Add your logic to the code, test it, accept it, and include it in your next inbox version. Note that preambles and postscripts in Trunk packages are required to be idempotent and may be evaluated multiple times. For changesets, you can add a preamble and a postscript as well from the yellow-button menu of the change set list in the change sorter.
• • If you identify any other contribution-related concepts that should be mentioned or explained in greater detail here, please feel free to add them here. This would make an ideal first contribution. :-)!!
• ]style[(16 4 12 256 18 10 5 5 7 111 23 5 4 4 4 29 14 60 8 4 12 47 7 13 9 37 26 266 18 15 7 561)a0b,a0,a0b,a0,a0i,a0,Rcode://
• SqueakContributionHelp

• openDockingBarMenuThat: [:m | m contents = ''Tools'']
  

• filterItem: ''Dual Change Sorter'';,a0,Rcode://
  

• SqueakContributionHelp

• openDockingBarMenuThat: [:item | (item respondsTo: #updateContents) and: [(item instVarNamed: ''wordingSelector'') = #browseChangesLabel]]
  

• filterItem: ''Dual Change Sorter'';,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0,a0i,a0,Rcode://
  

• SqueakContributionHelp

• openDockingBarMenuThat: [:m | m contents = ''Tools'']
  

• filterItem: ''File List'';,a0,a0b,a0,Rcode://
  

• SqueakContributionHelp

• openDockingBarMenuThat: [:m | m contents = ''Tools'']
  

• filterItem: ''Monticello Browser'';,a0,a0i,a0!!' readStream nextChunkText)
  

•         key: #furtherConcepts;
  

•         shouldStyle: false;
  

•         yourself!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>openDockingBarMenuThat:filterItem: (in category 'support') -----
• openDockingBarMenuThat: menuBlock filterItem: filterString

• | dockingBar menu |
  

• dockingBar := (self currentWorld mainDockingBars ifEmpty: [^ self]) first.
  

• menu := (dockingBar submorphs select: #isMenuItemMorph) detect: menuBlock ifNone: [^ self].
  

• dockingBar selectItem: menu event: self currentEvent.
  

• menu subMenu setProperty: #matchString toValue: filterString.
  

• menu subMenu displayFiltered: self currentEvent.
  

• ^ nil "do not answer a Behavior here, which would trigger another browser when sending this message from a TextURL"!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>pages (in category 'accessing') -----
• pages

• ^ #(contributingToSqueak communityModel firstContribution squeakInboxTalk furtherConcepts)!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakContributionHelp class>>squeakInboxTalk (in category 'pages') -----

(excessive size, no diff calculated)

Item was added:

• TextAnchor subclass: #SqueakHelpTextImage

• instanceVariableNames: ''
  

• classVariableNames: ''
  

• poolDictionaries: ''
  

• category: 'Help-Squeak-Project'!
  

• !SqueakHelpTextImage commentStamp: 'ct 6/21/2022 22:54' prior: 0!
• I embed a form into a text as a text anchor. I add support for fileIn/fileOut by storing the form as a base64 string. In the future, I'd like to make a great carrier and be moved "upstream" to a real Trunk package. For now, I still provide my humble service to some pages in the Squeak help.!

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage class>>forForm: (in category 'instance creation') -----
• forForm: aForm

• ^ self new
  

•     form: aForm;
  

•     yourself!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage class>>scanCharacter (in category 'fileIn/Out') -----
• scanCharacter

• ^ $m!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage class>>scanFrom: (in category 'fileIn/Out') -----
• scanFrom: aStream

• | base64 data form |
  

• base64 := aStream upTo: $;.
  

• data := Base64MimeConverter mimeDecodeToBytes: base64 readStream.
  

• form := ImageReadWriter formFromStream: data.
  

• ^ self forForm: form!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage>>exportBase64 (in category 'fileIn/fileOut') -----
• exportBase64

• ^ (ByteArray streamContents: [:stream |
  

•     PNGReadWriter putForm: self form onStream: stream])
  

•         base64Encoded
  

• !

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage>>form (in category 'accessing') -----
• form

• ^ self anchoredMorph image!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage>>form: (in category 'accessing') -----
• form: aForm

• self anchoredMorph: aForm asMorph.!
  
  

Item was added:

• ----- Method: SqueakHelpTextImage>>writeScanOn: (in category 'fileIn/fileOut') -----
• writeScanOn: aStream

• aStream
  

•     nextPut: self class scanCharacter;
  

•     nextPutAll: self exportBase64;
  

•     nextPut: $;.!
  
  

Item was changed: ----- Method: SqueakProjectHelp class>>pages (in category 'accessing') ----- pages

• ^#(workingWithSqueak squeakUserInterface extendingTheSystem squeakResourcesOnline)!
  

• ^#(extendingTheSystem squeakResourcesOnline squeakUserInterface workingWithSqueak)!
  
  

Item was changed: ----- Method: SqueakProjectHelp class>>squeakResourcesOnline (in category 'pages') ----- squeakResourcesOnline "This method was automatically generated. Edit it using:" "SqueakProjectHelp edit: #squeakResourcesOnline"

• <generated>
  

  ^(HelpTopic title: 'Squeak Resources Online' contents:

'Web sites

Main site of Squeak http://www.squeak.org Weekly Squeak http://news.squeak.org Downloads for many versions http://www.squeak.org/downloads Main site of OpenSmalltalk VM https://github.com/OpenSmalltalk/opensmalltalk-vm

• GitHub Issue Tracker

• https://github.com/squeak-smalltalk/squeak-object-memory/issues
  
  

Mailing lists

beginners This is the place to ask even the most basic questions. Don''t be afraid. Just ask. The community will help you get started with Squeak. http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/beginners

• http://forum.world.st/Squeak-Beginners-f107673.html (currently defect)
  

• http://forum.world.st/Squeak-Beginners-f107673.html
  
  

squeak-dev This is the main Squeak mailing list. Join that list to be part in the community. Subscribe to the mail server or read on a forum.

• For more information on the community and the contribution process, check out the tutorial Contributing to Squeak in the following pages.
  

  http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/squeak-dev

• http://forum.world.st/Squeak-Dev-f45488.html (currently defect)
  

• http://forum.world.st/Squeak-Dev-f45488.html
  
  

vm-beginners This is the entry point for people who want to learn more about how Squeak runs on your operating system. You may ask even basic questions. :-) http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/vm-beginners

• http://forum.world.st/Smalltalk-VM-Beginners-f3068605.html (currently defect)
  

• http://forum.world.st/Smalltalk-VM-Beginners-f3068605.html
  
  

vm-dev This is the place where discussions about the OpenSmalltalk virtual machine happen. Join that list the be a part of the community. http://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/vm-dev

• http://forum.world.st/Squeak-VM-f104410.html (currently defect)
  

• http://forum.world.st/Squeak-VM-f104410.html
  
  

Books

Squeak By Example A beginners textbook, based on Squeak 3.9 and so a little out of date in some visual aspects and some details. Still a valuable resource. The content is maintained in github at https://github.com/SquareBracketAssociates/SqueakByExample-english but a prepared and ready to read pdf version can be found at https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1112&cont...

Other books Many books about Squeak and Smalltalk in general have been made available and are hosted at http://stephane.ducasse.free.fr/FreeBooks.html!!

• ]style[(11 19 2 21 1 15 22 1 27 2 31 1 29 2 49 1 20 2 63 2 13 1 1 11 135 2 60 2 51 21 10 2 223 22 26 61 2 44 21 14 145 63 2 58 21 6 134 57 2 44 21 5 2 17 2 177 66 62 87 2 11 94 46)b,I0i,I0,Rhttp://www.squeak.org;,I0,I0i,Rhttp://news.squeak.org;,I0,I0i,I0,Rhttp://www... HelpBrowser openOn: SqueakContributionHelp;,,Rhttp://lists.squeakfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/squeak-dev;,,Rhttp://foru...

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