Another "modest proposal" [see link for satire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modest_Proposal].

Perhaps we could include a/the suggestions/bug-fix database as default
in the code browser itself, by default. Hence, everyone with a browser
could be updated the moment the twinkling of an idea appears for the
class one is currently browsing.

However, actual discussions would be linked to appropriate websites
from the code browser for discussions to be handled there. In this
manner, the code browser would be the common, universal forum for
directions and ideas as one is coding in the classes which would be
the ones potentially influenced/changed by such ideas. Perhaps
distracting, but until such a form of social programming is tried, we
don't know if it would be distracting or not to have such things
represented in a button or highlighted tab away.

Ideally, I'd rather look over coder's avatars shoulders in Croquet to
look into their "intentions" for "social programming", but Croquet's
not standard yet nor universally runnable on all graphics cards.

Perhaps, in an effort to leapfrog over "language innovations" for
other programming languages, we could create a Croquet room where such
alternative suggested fixes and directions can be showcased, like a
portrait gallery of code. In this manner, the geographical placing of
the suggested code changes indicates which part of the
code-base/class-library would be affected.

Indeed, like Alan Kay suggested many years ago... Smalltalk should
have eaten its children by now. Maybe social programming (like other
social web sites) is the way forward. We already agree it's OK to
scratch ones own itch. Maybe the social mores need to change so it's
OK to do so publicly, in the code browser.

Darius