On Thursday 29 March 2001 14:37, Karl Wilson wrote:
> why doesn't it say something like:
>
> ProtoObject class subclass #Object class
>
> 	instanceVariableNames: ''

When you do "ProtoObject subclass: #Object ..." this method takes care 
of all these little details automatically.

> and why can't you spawn a class side heirarchy?
>
> Behavior
> 	ClassDescription
> 		Class
> 			ProtoObject class
> 				Object class

Ooops - I had said you would reach "Behavior class" but that was wrong. 
Since the system created all these metaclasses behind your back and 
doesn't even bother to give them proper names, showing them like this 
would probably cause more confusion. It is easy to patch the tools to 
do this, but I don't think it is a good idea.

> I am sure this will all make sense after awhile. Thanks again.

Others have given a lot of great pointers to more information about 
this than most people want to know. I prefer the alternative adopted by 
the Self dialect of Smalltalk - simply design this complication out of 
the language! http://www.sun.com/research/self/

-- Jecel