Tim Rowledge wrote:
> 
> Perhaps even worse, people coming to _learn_ this new system will see
> that familiar syntax and stop thinking. You only have to read a bunch of
> java/C++ code to see that effect. Sadly of course, a new syntax doesn't
> always break peoples mental models and make them build a new one. I see
> so much C written in Smalltalk that it's not funny. And I'm not counting
> the deliberately C-like style of the VM code.

There are good reasons for the C-like style in the VM code.
It originates from
- limitations of the Smalltalk->C compiler, partly coming from the wish
to get a ST->C-VM fast;
- the goal to get mostly efficient C-code with the available ST->C
compiler.

Capabilities of the ST->C compiler have been improved recently, so the
programming style could be slightly more ST *now*.

In almost all other Smalltalks the VM is written *directly* in C: So in
respect to have as much code as possible in ST (without loosing much
speed compared to direct C programming) Squeak is very good!

Greetings,

Stephan
-- 
Stephan Rudlof (sr at evolgo.de)
   "Genius doesn't work on an assembly line basis.
    You can't simply say, 'Today I will be brilliant.'"
    -- Kirk, "The Ultimate Computer", stardate 4731.3