Karl Ramberg <karl.ramberg at chello.se> wrote:
> I'm not at all up to date with the modules...
> Could you give a brief explanation of the problems with the 3.3a stuff? 

* It's a big jump.
* No part of it isn't completely finished yet.
* If anyone is making it ready, except for Andreas, I don't know about
it.

> > Of course any work we do on this will be compatible with (and even more
> > useful in the context of) the future module system modus operandi.
> > 
> > If people think this is a good way to go, I have some ideas on how we
> > can make progress in this direction.
> A brief explanation here, too.

3.3a tries to give the following -
* Namespaces
* Automatic loading of packages from web repositories
* A code model that supports class extensions (specifying that
Object>>beep is logically not part of Object's module, but of another).

The problem is that that's alot to give, and it'll take concentrated
effort for that to happen.

In order to benefit from a modularized image, for example, to have
shrink scripts that work (or module that unload), we first have refactor
every package in the image so that it can be unloaded.

This is the most important thing - nothing bad will happen if we don't
have namespaces for a while more, and we can always add automatic
handling of loading, *but the reason we began this whole effort in the
first place is to cut things up clean*. This requires only a code model
that supports class extensions.

It just so happens we already have one in the image, already mostly
integrated into the tools, and it's mostly a matter of agreeing to use
it.

> Karl