[4.2] Release Notes - first draft

>
>
> On Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 3:32 PM, Chris Muller <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
>     After reviewing every new package version since 4.1, I came up with
>     the following for release notes for 4.2.  There were, literally,
>     dozens of little enhancements, fixes and performance improvements
>     which I simply decided to summarize under:
>
>     "- Many enhancements, fixes, documentation and performance
>     improvements to the class-library and IDE tools."
>
>     The remaining items either weren't an enhancment, fix, doc of perf, or
>     otherwise seemed worth mentioning individually.
>
>     I've put as much time as I can afford into this one, but it could use
>     your help in touching these up.  Please add any _major_ (not minor,
>     please) items I may have missed.  Please improve wording of items that
>     need it; for example: "- Finalization enhancements.".
>
>     Please make final changes on the wiki page:
>
>     http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/6160
>
>     rather than replying here, since that would leave the updates
>     fragmented among multiple e-mails.
>
>     What we end up with on the wiki page is what we will use for the
>     release.
>
>     Thanks you!
>       Chris
>
>
>     Squeak 4.2 Release Notes
>
>     - Compatible with the new Cog VM which provides roughly a 3X,
>     across-the-board, performance improvement.
>     - Compatible with signature Squeak packages.
>     - Many enhancements, fixes, documentation and performance improvements
>     to the class-library and IDE tools.
>     - Improved package-dependencies.
>     - A new number parser allows greater flexibility in the expression
>     of numbers.
>     - Finalization enhancements.
>     - Support for caching of block computations, without need for the
>     developer to declare a variable.  ^[time-consuming computation] once
>     - An interface to the operating system stdio.
>     - Stricter Rectangles assert screen coordinate orientation.  Empty
>     Rectangles no longer #intersect: anything.
>     - A tidier image and code-base.  Introduced a cleanUp protocol,
>     removed the last direct users of CrLfFileStream, j3 support,
>     SyntaxError, and more.  Various packages and fonts can now be
>     unloaded, if a smaller image is desired.
>     - Replaced the last of the underscore assignments with ANSI assignments.
>     - A refactoring and unification of Smalltalk and SmalltalkImage globals.
>     - Support for translucent fonts.
>     - Squeak's internal timer clock has been improved from millisecond to
>     microsecond level precision.
>     - Many enhancements to the internal text editor.
>     - Added an efficient window-resizing gesture, allowing Squeak windows
>     to be quickly and easily manipulated.
>     - A new HelpSystem and Help menu guide new users.
>     - Restored support for MVC projects.
>     - SUnit tests now may timeout.
>     - Improved Squeak's command-line interface to properly support
>     relative-path qualification to the input script.
>
>
>
>
>

> After reviewing every new package version since 4.1, I came up with
> the following for release notes for 4.2.  There were, literally,
> dozens of little enhancements, fixes and performance improvements
> which I simply decided to summarize under:
>
>   "- Many enhancements, fixes, documentation and performance
> improvements to the class-library and IDE tools."
>
> The remaining items either weren't an enhancment, fix, doc of perf, or
> otherwise seemed worth mentioning individually.
>
> I've put as much time as I can afford into this one, but it could use
> your help in touching these up.  Please add any _major_ (not minor,
> please) items I may have missed.  Please improve wording of items that
> need it; for example: "- Finalization enhancements.".
>
> Please make final changes on the wiki page:
>
>     http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/6160
>
> rather than replying here, since that would leave the updates
> fragmented among multiple e-mails.
>
> What we end up with on the wiki page is what we will use for the release.
>
> Thanks you!
>   Chris
>
>
> Squeak 4.2 Release Notes
>
> - Compatible with the new Cog VM which provides roughly a 3X,
> across-the-board, performance improvement.
> - Compatible with signature Squeak packages.
> - Many enhancements, fixes, documentation and performance improvements
> to the class-library and IDE tools.
> - Improved package-dependencies.
> - A new number parser allows greater flexibility in the expression of numbers.
> - Finalization enhancements.
> - Support for caching of block computations, without need for the
> developer to declare a variable.  ^[time-consuming computation] once
> - An interface to the operating system stdio.
> - Stricter Rectangles assert screen coordinate orientation.  Empty
> Rectangles no longer #intersect: anything.
> - A tidier image and code-base.  Introduced a cleanUp protocol,
> removed the last direct users of CrLfFileStream, j3 support,
> SyntaxError, and more.  Various packages and fonts can now be
> unloaded, if a smaller image is desired.
> - Replaced the last of the underscore assignments with ANSI assignments.
> - A refactoring and unification of Smalltalk and SmalltalkImage globals.
> - Support for translucent fonts.
> - Squeak's internal timer clock has been improved from millisecond to
> microsecond level precision.
> - Many enhancements to the internal text editor.
> - Added an efficient window-resizing gesture, allowing Squeak windows
> to be quickly and easily manipulated.
> - A new HelpSystem and Help menu guide new users.
> - Restored support for MVC projects.
> - SUnit tests now may timeout.
> - Improved Squeak's command-line interface to properly support
> relative-path qualification to the input script.