On Dec 14, 2004, at 2:38 PM, Andreas Raab wrote:
>
> No Nihilism. Just calm reasoning. The list has gotten a constant 
> source of frustration where it used to be a source of inspiration and 
> if that's so one needs to ask oneself if it's actually worth spending 
> that much time on it (it's not like I have nothing else to do). And 
> given the recent discussion it feels like my interests are so out of 
> sync with the prevailing opinion around here that I'm the lonely 
> trouble maker. If that's the case then what better thing to do than to 
> let go? It's not that I wouldn't work on the aspects that interest me 
> - just that I'd shut up and let you guys go your way. The more I'm 
> thinking about it, the more sense this makes to me.
>

Actually, I'm with you on this one, Andreas: I mean the whole point of 
Squeak it seems, is to be a MULTIMEDIA smalltalk, yes? If people are 
going to strip it down to the bare essentials because they're more 
interested in software engineering, Web development, or something like 
that, that's OK for their own stuff but if they want to build Squeak 
they need to be inclusive of the things which make Squeak Squeak: that 
includes things like etoys, Wonderland, the sound synth stuff, etc. I 
mean if you want Cincom, you know where to find it.

To me, Squeak is about breaking new ground in the world of human 
computer interaction. The future of the computer interface is in using 
all of your senses, especially vision and hearing and perhaps touch; 
and kinaesthetic and motor responses. We will go from an abstract level 
where you use the "thinking part of your brain" to get things done, to 
a more fundamental level which is based on feeling, instinct, and 
inspiration. Squeak is at the wavefront of this tremendous phenomenon; 
and as such, until something better comes along to supplant them 
(Tweak? Croquet?) Morphic, Etoys, and Wonderland are all VERY MUCH a 
part of Squeak.

--Jeff