"Andreas Raab" <andreas.raab at gmx.de> is claimed by the authorities to have written:

> Tim,
> 
> If you can say something about what you are hoping to achieve by using
> environments I might be able to give you a pointer or two (if it's too
> delicate just send it off-list). I've been all over it with Bill in
> order to get (secured) name spaces for Croquet running so I know some of
> it.
No big secret; I'm considering assorted approaches to assembling objects
to turn into a minimal ( or any other kind of) image. One possibility is
to build a parallel tree of classes with just what one wants, using all
our normal tools etc, and then trace that tree out with the cloner. Of
course, one needs a way to have a suitable 'Smalltalk' entry to provide
the globals for this new image without messing up the working world.
Environment looks like it might just possibly be a good place to start
since it seems like it might be integrated into the compiler's view of
the world thus saving my messing about with the compiler - always a nice
thought.

Problems I foresee include :-

the bootstrap problem of getting as far as having a working
Object/Metaclass/Behaviour/etc system that provides enough structure to
let me create methods and classes. Probably involves some trick with
getting that far and inserting the new globals world in just the right
place at just the right time.

having the working world able to know about the new world but not vice
versa (I think that is needed for the Compiler to build classes forthe
new world).

making sure browsers can help me keep track of what is where.

not going nuts from trying to work out what is going on.

forgetting something crucial. 

tim

-- 
Tim Rowledge, tim at sumeru.stanford.edu, http://sumeru.stanford.edu/tim
Useful random insult:- So dumb, blondes tell jokes about him.