The first time a saw a VRML demo I remember getting hit with the idea that a class browser you could walk inside of and see the
relationships and even edit would be a fun way to explore.  I agree that it may not be much more useful but it sure sounds like fun.

  - Steve

Alan Kay wrote:

> The original hyperbolic circular groupings were done by the artist Esher --
> at least "the look" is pretty well covered there. And it is not possible to
> patent an idea, only specific expressions and mechanisms of ideas. My guess
> is that such a Squeak browser would not violate anything. However, I'm not
> sure that doing a tree in a circle really adds much to traversing or
> understanding a hierarchy ...
>
> Cheers,
>
> Alan
>
> --------
>
> At 2:12 AM -0000 11/22/98, Alejandro F. Reimondo wrote:
> >I've tried to enter in the Louvre demo,
> >it takes 10 minutes to load the Java applet
> > and my IExprorer crashed closing all
> > the opened browsers windows.
> >Are there any demonstration not written in Java ?
> >thanks.
> >Ale.
> >
> >----------
> >De:            Jerry Bell[SMTP:jdbell at fareselaw.com]
> >Enviado:       Sábado 21 de Noviembre de 1998 19:22
> >Para:          squeak at cs.uiuc.edu
> >Asunto:        Hyperbolic Tree Class Browser
> >
> >Has anyone looked at hyperbolic trees?  I find them hard to explain, but
> >very easy to grasp once you play with them.  Try:
> >
> >http://www.inxight.com/Content/7.html
> >
> >The Library of Congress demo is especially nice.
> >
> >I think a hyperbolic tree would make a great UI for a class browser, maybe
> >as a replacement for the left-most pane.  It would definately help a new
> >user like myself get a feel for which classes belong where in the hierarchy.
> >
> >Unfortunately I don't know if we could put one in Squeak without permission
> >from Inxight.  I know they hold license to their implementation of
> >hyperbolic trees, but I don't know if they somehow own the idea also.  I've
> >never understood that sort of thing very well.
> >
> >They are a Xerox company, by the way.  It's another neat idea from PARC.
> >
> >Jerry Bell
> >jdbell at fareselaw.com
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Stefan Matthias Aust [mailto:sma at kiel.netsurf.de]
> >Sent: Saturday, November 21, 1998 12:42 PM
> >To: squeak at cs.uiuc.edu
> >Subject: Re: C code for Block context
> >
> >
> >>How does the Squeak Smalltalk to C translation handle Smalltalk code that
> >>contains Blcok context? It was my impression that it is difficult to
> >>program Block context in C.
> >
> >Actually, it cannot translate real blocks.  The translator only translates
> >a subset of Smalltalk, just enough to compile the interpreter.  It does the
> >usual optimization for ifTrue: and whileTrue: blocks, but can't handle full
> >block closures.
> >
> >
> >bye
> >--
> >Stefan Matthias Aust  //  Are you ready to discover the twilight zone?