Hello Redliners,
I want to express (again) that I think yours is an excellent idea, with great potential. For one because of the widespread usage (and acceptance) of Java and the JVM. Tthis Smalltalk would indeed be riding in the shoulders of a giant). Also, because of what it gets "for free" just for being file-based... well... every tool out there on the planet that operates with files (git, diff, scripts, ftp, you name it).
Since I wrote last time on this list I changed jobs. Although I was hired as a Java developer I'm not programming in Java for now. At the same time I seriously began learning and implementing some hobby projects in Smalltalk. I have to admit, being able to develop in Smalltalk and be paid for it would be a dream come true. However, I imagine having a much more difficult time trying to introduce a "classic" Smalltalk like Pharo, than a JVM-based Smalltalk into my workplace (or my past workplaces). Simply because of the structural changes that would be needed to accomodate for this kind of development (revision control, data backup and deployment strategies come to my mind - having said that, I want to clarify that I love Pharo Smalltalk :-)
So I hope this Smalltalk flourishes and brings this "dream" a little bit closer to reality. Why not? If clojure had such a success, I don't see why Redline could not have the same, or even greater (since the two biggest blocks of Smalltalk adoption would be removed: library availability and tool integration).
It all depends on the "development experience" offered... but that I asked in another topic.
Best regards,
Sebastian
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