New Introductory Tutorial

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New Introductory Tutorial

EuanM
I've created Yet Another Smalltalk First
Steps tutorial.

This is intended as one of a series.

It is designed to be cross-platform across

    Squeak 5
    Pharo 4
    Seaside 3.1
    Cuis
    Dolphin 6

If you have experience running any of these systems on Windows, Linux
or MacOS, please check to see if I have the instructions correct for
your chosen pairing of Smalltalk and OS platform.

(As you'll see when you look, I do not have detailed instructions for
aspects of MacOS).

The document is at:
http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/get-smalltalk-up-and-running.html

(It's intended to move to a different blog after this review process).

I feel the need to do this as cross-Smalltalks tutorial because of
findings and 4 charts  I've placed at:
http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mindshare-of-smalltalk-in-development.html

Essentially, Smalltalk mindshare and use is incredibly tiny, compared
to other languages in the same space.  (We all know this, but seeing
it represented graphically has a more visceral effect, IMO)

Aggregating interest in all the Smalltalks still does not bring more
than a tiny proportion of the interest in, and use of, Ruby.

In turn, Ruby is (quite understandably) small in comparison to JavaScript.

Comparing interest in any specific Smalltalk is, predictably, smaller
than the aggregate interest in Smalltalk.

Our community seems determined to split itself into smaller and
smaller sub-communities.  I think we do ourselves a disservice this
way.

My initial contribution will be to try to provide some explicitly
pan-Smalltalk beginners' tutorials, like this one.

Cheers, and happy Smalltalking,
     EuanM

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Re: New Introductory Tutorial

stepharo
Thanks this is nice effort.

Now some remarks:
     - Do you think that great speakers like doru would be invited to
prime time conference to talk about a language that is from 1980?
     - You talk about momentum and shared space. Do you think that it is
wise to talk about a Smalltalk whose forum has 5 posts in a year?
     - We have to create the momentum and we should not look back (it
does not mean that we should not know our culture and history) and
     invent for real the future.

Now do not get me wrong: I do pharo and the battle is not against
squeak, cuis or... it is against Javascript, Ruby, Lua, Python.
So decide were you put your energy. I chose for mine.

This is my last post on this thread. People not happy with my points can
be not happy but I'm right and I will not deviate one inch
:).

Stef

PS: working on a teaser about Pharo and its vision

PSPS:
my vision

     ultimate live environment
     great reflective system
     well integrated with C
     well integrated with OSes
     wonderful IDE



Le 14/11/15 06:02, EuanM a écrit :

> I've created Yet Another Smalltalk First
> Steps tutorial.
>
> This is intended as one of a series.
>
> It is designed to be cross-platform across
>
>      Squeak 5
>      Pharo 4
>      Seaside 3.1
>      Cuis
>      Dolphin 6
>
> If you have experience running any of these systems on Windows, Linux
> or MacOS, please check to see if I have the instructions correct for
> your chosen pairing of Smalltalk and OS platform.
>
> (As you'll see when you look, I do not have detailed instructions for
> aspects of MacOS).
>
> The document is at:
> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/get-smalltalk-up-and-running.html
>
> (It's intended to move to a different blog after this review process).
>
> I feel the need to do this as cross-Smalltalks tutorial because of
> findings and 4 charts  I've placed at:
> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mindshare-of-smalltalk-in-development.html
>
> Essentially, Smalltalk mindshare and use is incredibly tiny, compared
> to other languages in the same space.  (We all know this, but seeing
> it represented graphically has a more visceral effect, IMO)
>
> Aggregating interest in all the Smalltalks still does not bring more
> than a tiny proportion of the interest in, and use of, Ruby.
>
> In turn, Ruby is (quite understandably) small in comparison to JavaScript.
>
> Comparing interest in any specific Smalltalk is, predictably, smaller
> than the aggregate interest in Smalltalk.
>
> Our community seems determined to split itself into smaller and
> smaller sub-communities.  I think we do ourselves a disservice this
> way.
>
> My initial contribution will be to try to provide some explicitly
> pan-Smalltalk beginners' tutorials, like this one.
>
> Cheers, and happy Smalltalking,
>       EuanM
>
>


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Re: New Introductory Tutorial

Offray
Hi,

I have had a wonderful time in Smalltalks 2015 in Argentina, and for a
novice but involved practicioner in this event I don't see a lot of
balkanization between communities or internal fights. Most of us
attending the event could talk and enjoy each other without any concern
about using Gemtalk, Squeak, Cuis, Pharo etc. I share the Steph's claim
about not fighting different and worth visions inside the smalltalk
community, for me the real difference (or "fight" if you want) is with
other visions of what computing could be, most of the inherited from
unix paradigm and its development approaches (dead files, separed IDE,
balkanized tools, etc).

My reading is that different communities of Smalltalk doesn't talk that
much in EEUU as in Argentina/Chile or Europe. They're more atomized and
without the vitality that came from researchers and students in
universities  (with maybe small exceptions), so this sense of
balkanization is bigger and there is a lot of pressure on being popular
(from TV shows of young people being popular in school to discovering
the next big thing in startups and technology). I think that to invent
the future we need to be released of the popularity narrative and to
have strong community ties to explore/build/communicate that future
together.

Cheers,

Offray

On 14/11/15 02:40, stepharo wrote:

> Thanks this is nice effort.
>
> Now some remarks:
>     - Do you think that great speakers like doru would be invited to
> prime time conference to talk about a language that is from 1980?
>     - You talk about momentum and shared space. Do you think that it
> is wise to talk about a Smalltalk whose forum has 5 posts in a year?
>     - We have to create the momentum and we should not look back (it
> does not mean that we should not know our culture and history) and
>     invent for real the future.
>
> Now do not get me wrong: I do pharo and the battle is not against
> squeak, cuis or... it is against Javascript, Ruby, Lua, Python.
> So decide were you put your energy. I chose for mine.
>
> This is my last post on this thread. People not happy with my points
> can be not happy but I'm right and I will not deviate one inch
> :).
>
> Stef
>
> PS: working on a teaser about Pharo and its vision
>
> PSPS:
> my vision
>
>     ultimate live environment
>     great reflective system
>     well integrated with C
>     well integrated with OSes
>     wonderful IDE
>
>
>
> Le 14/11/15 06:02, EuanM a écrit :
>> I've created Yet Another Smalltalk First
>> Steps tutorial.
>>
>> This is intended as one of a series.
>>
>> It is designed to be cross-platform across
>>
>>      Squeak 5
>>      Pharo 4
>>      Seaside 3.1
>>      Cuis
>>      Dolphin 6
>>
>> If you have experience running any of these systems on Windows, Linux
>> or MacOS, please check to see if I have the instructions correct for
>> your chosen pairing of Smalltalk and OS platform.
>>
>> (As you'll see when you look, I do not have detailed instructions for
>> aspects of MacOS).
>>
>> The document is at:
>> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/get-smalltalk-up-and-running.html 
>>
>>
>> (It's intended to move to a different blog after this review process).
>>
>> I feel the need to do this as cross-Smalltalks tutorial because of
>> findings and 4 charts  I've placed at:
>> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mindshare-of-smalltalk-in-development.html 
>>
>>
>> Essentially, Smalltalk mindshare and use is incredibly tiny, compared
>> to other languages in the same space.  (We all know this, but seeing
>> it represented graphically has a more visceral effect, IMO)
>>
>> Aggregating interest in all the Smalltalks still does not bring more
>> than a tiny proportion of the interest in, and use of, Ruby.
>>
>> In turn, Ruby is (quite understandably) small in comparison to
>> JavaScript.
>>
>> Comparing interest in any specific Smalltalk is, predictably, smaller
>> than the aggregate interest in Smalltalk.
>>
>> Our community seems determined to split itself into smaller and
>> smaller sub-communities.  I think we do ourselves a disservice this
>> way.
>>
>> My initial contribution will be to try to provide some explicitly
>> pan-Smalltalk beginners' tutorials, like this one.
>>
>> Cheers, and happy Smalltalking,
>>       EuanM
>>
>>
>
>
>


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Re: [Cuis] New Introductory Tutorial

Hannes Hirzel
In reply to this post by EuanM
Hi Euan

Worthwhile to refer to in your tutorial is as well the web version of
the ProfStef Smalltalk tutorial implemented in Amber Smalltalk

http://amber-smalltalk.github.io/trysmalltalk/

(https://github.com/amber-smalltalk/trysmalltalk)

It explains the syntax, control constructs and some basic classes. It
was first implemented in Pharo and then ported.

--Hannes

On 11/17/15, Juan Vuletich <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi EuanM,
>
> This is a great initiative. Thanks for including Cuis in the bunch!
>
> Cheers,
> Juan Vuletich
>
> On 14/11/2015 02:02 a.m., EuanM wrote:
>> I've created Yet Another Smalltalk First
>> Steps tutorial.
>>
>> This is intended as one of a series.
>>
>> It is designed to be cross-platform across
>>
>>      Squeak 5
>>      Pharo 4
>>      Seaside 3.1
>>      Cuis
>>      Dolphin 6
>>
>> If you have experience running any of these systems on Windows, Linux
>> or MacOS, please check to see if I have the instructions correct for
>> your chosen pairing of Smalltalk and OS platform.
>>
>> (As you'll see when you look, I do not have detailed instructions for
>> aspects of MacOS).
>>
>> The document is at:
>> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/get-smalltalk-up-and-running.html
>>
>> (It's intended to move to a different blog after this review process).
>>
>> I feel the need to do this as cross-Smalltalks tutorial because of
>> findings and 4 charts  I've placed at:
>> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mindshare-of-smalltalk-in-development.html
>>
>> Essentially, Smalltalk mindshare and use is incredibly tiny, compared
>> to other languages in the same space.  (We all know this, but seeing
>> it represented graphically has a more visceral effect, IMO)
>>
>> Aggregating interest in all the Smalltalks still does not bring more
>> than a tiny proportion of the interest in, and use of, Ruby.
>>
>> In turn, Ruby is (quite understandably) small in comparison to
>> JavaScript.
>>
>> Comparing interest in any specific Smalltalk is, predictably, smaller
>> than the aggregate interest in Smalltalk.
>>
>> Our community seems determined to split itself into smaller and
>> smaller sub-communities.  I think we do ourselves a disservice this
>> way.
>>
>> My initial contribution will be to try to provide some explicitly
>> pan-Smalltalk beginners' tutorials, like this one.
>>
>> Cheers, and happy Smalltalking,
>>       EuanM
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Cuis mailing list
>> [hidden email]
>> http://jvuletich.org/mailman/listinfo/cuis_jvuletich.org
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Cuis mailing list
> [hidden email]
> http://jvuletich.org/mailman/listinfo/cuis_jvuletich.org
>

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Re: New Introductory Tutorial

EuanM
In reply to this post by stepharo
Thank you for the kind words, Stephane.

Here is my vision.

1) Commercial uptake, with an ongoing upwards growth trend
2) Thriving community of developers, with an ongoing upwards trend.
3) A platform with sufficient stability for commercial use, to provide 1)
4) A platform with sufficient stability for adequate documentation
(i.e. documentation which correctly describes the system) - that leads
to sufficient levels of interest to provide 1) and 2).  (Documention
requires refactoring, maintenance and expansion, just as the code-base
segment of the system does.  This means it requires time and
attention.  Which is easier if the community is thriving and growing).

The important point of any vision is that it is realised.  That
requires sufficient people and activity, which is why I think the two
visions are both important to one another.

However, it is a chicken-and-egg problem.  Chicken-and-egg problems
are hard. (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000054.html)

The same issue has come up within the erlang community.  (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MvKLOecT1I )

I won't address the questions posed - except to say I don't think they
are as rhetorical as people might think.

Cheers,
   EuanM


On 14 November 2015 at 07:40, stepharo <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Thanks this is nice effort.
>
> Now some remarks:
>     - Do you think that great speakers like doru would be invited to prime
> time conference to talk about a language that is from 1980?
>     - You talk about momentum and shared space. Do you think that it is wise
> to talk about a Smalltalk whose forum has 5 posts in a year?
>     - We have to create the momentum and we should not look back (it does
> not mean that we should not know our culture and history) and
>     invent for real the future.
>
> Now do not get me wrong: I do pharo and the battle is not against squeak,
> cuis or... it is against Javascript, Ruby, Lua, Python.
> So decide were you put your energy. I chose for mine.
>
> This is my last post on this thread. People not happy with my points can be
> not happy but I'm right and I will not deviate one inch
> :).
>
> Stef
>
> PS: working on a teaser about Pharo and its vision
>
> PSPS:
> my vision
>
>     ultimate live environment
>     great reflective system
>     well integrated with C
>     well integrated with OSes
>     wonderful IDE
>
>
>
> Le 14/11/15 06:02, EuanM a écrit :
>
>> I've created Yet Another Smalltalk First
>> Steps tutorial.
>>
>> This is intended as one of a series.
>>
>> It is designed to be cross-platform across
>>
>>      Squeak 5
>>      Pharo 4
>>      Seaside 3.1
>>      Cuis
>>      Dolphin 6
>>
>> If you have experience running any of these systems on Windows, Linux
>> or MacOS, please check to see if I have the instructions correct for
>> your chosen pairing of Smalltalk and OS platform.
>>
>> (As you'll see when you look, I do not have detailed instructions for
>> aspects of MacOS).
>>
>> The document is at:
>>
>> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/get-smalltalk-up-and-running.html
>>
>> (It's intended to move to a different blog after this review process).
>>
>> I feel the need to do this as cross-Smalltalks tutorial because of
>> findings and 4 charts  I've placed at:
>>
>> http://smalltalkinsmallsteps.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mindshare-of-smalltalk-in-development.html
>>
>> Essentially, Smalltalk mindshare and use is incredibly tiny, compared
>> to other languages in the same space.  (We all know this, but seeing
>> it represented graphically has a more visceral effect, IMO)
>>
>> Aggregating interest in all the Smalltalks still does not bring more
>> than a tiny proportion of the interest in, and use of, Ruby.
>>
>> In turn, Ruby is (quite understandably) small in comparison to JavaScript.
>>
>> Comparing interest in any specific Smalltalk is, predictably, smaller
>> than the aggregate interest in Smalltalk.
>>
>> Our community seems determined to split itself into smaller and
>> smaller sub-communities.  I think we do ourselves a disservice this
>> way.
>>
>> My initial contribution will be to try to provide some explicitly
>> pan-Smalltalk beginners' tutorials, like this one.
>>
>> Cheers, and happy Smalltalking,
>>       EuanM
>>
>>
>
>