what's the right tool for text file templates?

Larry White ljw1001 at gmail.com
Tue Nov 29 19:59:40 UTC 2005


Thanks for your help but, No. Smalltalk does not make such things easy. It's
almost like someone is taking a perverse pleasure in making such things
hard.  Here are some of the most obvious problems with loading code:

1. I should be able to load the file from the "File List" browser.  This is
a close as Squeak comes to a file menu, which is a universally accepted
approach to loading files into desktop software.  And if I highlight a file
and the Load button appears, then it should actually load when I click it.
If it only loads some of the file, I should get an error or warning message.
(Fortunately, I've used Squeak before, so I can actually find the file-list
dialog.) I highlighted the mcz files, and it indicated that they loaded.

2. There shouldn't be 3 or more ways to do the same thing: I count file-in,
install, monticello, and package loader. For all I know, there may be more.
Ironically, this is the same problem OO is supposed to solve - hiding
implementation differences behind a simple, consistent interface. I don't
need 5 different buttons/dialogs to load different file formats into Excel.

3. A tool for loading code shouldn't be called Monticello, it should be
called, I dunno, maybe,  code-loader or something equally descriptive. A
browser for a virtual tour of Thomas Jefferson's house should be called
Monticello.

4. The instructions for using monticello shouldn't refer to mouse buttons as
red and yellow. Yes, I know it's a Smalltalk tradition dating back from the
days when the community actually cared about usability. My mouse buttons are
both black. Give me a break.  (This is where it starts to feel like poor
usability has crossed over into sadism.)

5. It can't be usable if it doesn't work. I downloaded the files to a
directory, opened monitcello, browsed to that "repository" highlighted the
files and clicked "load". Same as before-says it's loading, but no new
classes/methods appear in the system. Hmmm, maybe I should have clicked
Merge. I click Merge. It says it's reloading and hangs. Maybe the firewall
is blocking.  Monticello must use HTTP tunneling, right, so the user doesn't
have to deal with networking stuff?

And then, inevitably, somebody from the mailing list shakes their head and
tells you it's easy to use.


On 11/29/05, Philippe Marschall <philippe.marschall at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 2005/11/29, Larry White <ljw1001 at gmail.com>:
> > got that.  but there seems to be only test code in the files.
> No, there are two class extensions and a TestClass and. That's enough,
> well Smalltalk makes such things easy.
>
> > unless the
> > implementation is in binary form only and i can't figure out how to load
> it.
> Monticello
>
>
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