[squeak-dev] Re: Squeak vision

osp at aloha.com osp at aloha.com
Mon Jul 13 13:14:43 UTC 2009


> Bert Freudenberg a écrit :
> 
> >> The first step in this direction could be a fast bytecode package 
> >> loader, without the need to compile Smalltalk code.
> > 
> > 
> > Indeed. Perhaps you remember the discussions we had about ImageSegments 
> > that loaded classes complete with CompiledMethods? Which is way way 
> > faster than compiling code, and could not only be used to load squeak 
> > apps on top of a fixed image like for Dr Geo on Etoys, but could also 
> > lead to blazingly fast updates, or to very efficient field patches of 
> > deployed software. Maybe bringing this idea up in a separate thread here 
> > on squeak-dev would get some developer intrigued - I for one do find 
> > this a fascinating project.
> 
> I have the felling (unobjective) such feature could make life easier to 
> third party Etoys developer and eventually attract more of them to Etoys.
> 
> Hilaire
> 

Closed-sourse EToys would violate the concept of the user having access to
everything in the system, a cornerstone of Alan Kay's vision. "User" does
not refer strictly to the person using the computer at that moment. A
teacher setting up and running an EToy session qualifies as the "user," and
as such should have access to complete source and the right to modify it as
they see fit.

Educational software as product should not be treated as a for-profit
market. All educational software and content should be open-source. The
bulk of this work should be pro bono. What renumeration there is should
come from grants. The educational system should benefit from free learning
materials in the same manner we have benefited from Squeak.

Gary Dunn
Open Slate Project





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