[self-interest] Smalltalk implementation in Self

[Jecel Assumpcao Jr]

On Tuesday 11 September 2001 10:12, Jonas Bosson wrote:
> This snapshot was what really gave me inspiration to look at Self.
>
> The Smalltalk-snapshot comes as "the example" in sunlabs
> "Self 4". Its for Sun machines only since there has been no
> porting of the original Self system to Linux or Windows.

There is now a PowerMac version of Self as well. But no Linux or 
Windows (sorry, Todd Nathan!) version.

> (The GUI puts SmallTalk in the upper left corner of the virtual
> display)
>
> The GUI has no support for other than 8-bit visuals and is gives
> you too little information on how to develop "serious" applications
> in the environment. The lack of loadable packages outside the
> "snapshot" is limiting. (I think it also requires direct access to
> X11 with shared memory for blit speed)
>
> Things might have been improved since I saw it.

Self 4.1.x has support for true colors. I have often used it over 
remote X11 connections (and even over VNC) and it works fine. Sharing a 
single Self machine with 30 X terminals does make things unusable, 
though :-(

I didn't understand the part about "loadable packages". Dave Ungar's 
transporter can let you save and load text and binary "modules". And 
the access to external C++ libraries is very reasonable.

> But the snap is a beauty and gives an experience that folks should
> have access to.

If somebody wants to try GNU Smalltalk loaded into the BareBones 
snapshot in Self 4.1.x (it is loaded in the regular Demo snapshot in 
4.0), I am trying to upload this file to groups.yahoo so people don't 
have to put up with my slow DSL line but am having problems. Meanwhile, 
you can try:

   http://www.merlintec.com/download/Smalltalk.snap

See also http://www.sun.com/research/self/release/smalltalk.html

I am not sure if the paper mentioned at the bottom of this page is 
Mario's "Self Includes: Smalltalk". If not. Cetus lists that paper as

  http://linus.socs.uts.edu.au/~cotar/proto/mario.ps

I haven't checked either link. Reading this paper you will see that 
this is not a limited implementation of Smalltalk, but rather a slight 
adpatation of Self to be a *full* high performance implementation of 
GNU Smalltalk extended to include some traditional Smalltalk browsers 
(GNU ST is text only) using Morphic.

-- Jecel