Hi Bert,

on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:41:01 +0100, you wrote:
> Am Jan 21, 2007 um 11:51  schrieb Klaus D. Witzel:
>
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> on the beginners list Brent McConnell reported a situation in which  
>> (Collection new) was assigned to an automatic declared variable x and a  
>> subsequent (x := OrderedCollection new) still called for the dubugger,  
>> because aDictionary(Set) relies on ((Collection new) hash) for already  
>> declared variables.
>
> Interesting find - I couldn't believe it when I read it, but it is  
> indeed as Brent says.
>
>> You can provoke the walkback with printIt on
>>
>>  (Collection new) hash
>>
>> but also on
>>
>>  (Collection new)
>
> IMHO that's not the actual problem at hand, but rather, that compiling  
> an assignment breaks depending on the previous *value* of the binding.

Even more so: just do a recompile on any method on the class side of  
Unicode. Doing the binding of class var GeneralCategory (Unicode  
generalCategory size => 917632), same with class var DecimalProperty, this  
takes ages.

Ever switched a browser to the class side of Unicode and then tried to  
select some method? Try to recompile #generalCategory after adding some  
whitespace.

> We should fix that. Reproduce be evaluating these two lines *separately*  
> in a Workspace:
>
> 	c := Collection new
>
> 	c := 42
>
>> Q: wouldn't it be noob-friendlier if *all* kernel classes avoided the  
>> debugger in doIt/printIt situations?
>
> You mean I should be able to write "1 / 0" and not get a debugger? ;-)

Nada, the situation was described in the subject line and has nothing to  
do with programmer's new mistakes.

Just with the downloaded kernel classes' implementation of #printString,  
obviously the first place where beginners get in touch with Smalltalk's  
objects. What's the problem with the kernel classes being polite to noobs  
in a workspace, would that be too much for Smalltalk ;-)

> I don't think so. I also don't think that is necessary, I guess you try  
> to instantiate an abstract Collection only once.

Once per class during the rest of your life as Smalltalker, and only if  
you ever do #printString and/or #hash before going production. Smalltalk  
size => currently 2887 in my dev-image.

/Klaus

> So my answer to your subject's question would be a clear "no". *If* we  
> wanted to be newbie friendly we would make "Collection" an alias to  
> "OrderedCollection" so you can actually work with it. I'd be opposed to  
> that suggestion, too, of course ;)
>
> - Bert -
>
>
>
>