[modules] Next steps to consider [was: Cutting the knot]

Dan Ingalls Dan at SqueakLand.org
Thu Sep 27 08:29:09 UTC 2001


Henrik Gedenryd <Henrik.Gedenryd at lucs.lu.se> wrote...
>I am hoping that Dan posts his recent thoughts about what goals we would
>want to focus on, I liked what he proposed. Having established, clear,
>shared goals in mind is crucial and very helpful.

I'm about to go to sleep, but here's a copy of the proposal to which 
Henrik refers.  I send it along not because I think it is great, but 
just to focus discussion.
---------------------
At the risk of repeating myself, here are what I see as natural next steps:

1.  Clarify the name space / module distinction, if Henrik's latest 
message hasn't done this already.  This is for our internal 
discussion.

2.  Use the system to outload a couple of big packages such as

	VM Construction
	Newtork apps (Celeste, Scamper, Chat and HTML)
	Wonderland and 3D

	... and confirm that everything works if you bring them in again.

	This would be a big step toward effective shrinking and
	would probably get people excited.

3.  Use the system to inload a couple of big packages such as

	Refactoring Browser
	Connectors
	Thinglab and/or Cassowary
	Mathmorphs
	ModSqueak

	These would be modules serving the community.

4.  Document the anticipated steps to compact files and fast loading 
with image segments.

	Should get people enthusiastic about 4x compression,
	and 10x speed-up.
	[for those interested, compact files is an idea I
	have for browsing direct from gzipped files]

5.  Arrive at a preliminary design for projects as components.  In other words,

	Start from a URL
	Determine prerequisites
	Load them if necessary
	Load the content
	Be able to run it (duh)
	Be able to unload it and be "clean" afterward.

	This is for our internal discussion, but I would like
	to try it out ASAP.

	Here is a simple benchmark:
	My KidsRefrigeratorMagnets which requires Ned's RMs,
	which requires Ned's Connectors.  Delivered in a world
	and ready to play.

	Here is a complicated one:
	Drive a Car in a world and ready to play, and...
	Will automatically bring in all of EToys if not there.

I figured I would write up some of this in a coherent manner, with 
Henrik's help in the next couple of days as a sort of "Here's where 
we are heading between now and OOPSLA" message.

	- Dan
-- 

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