PROPOSAL: UN-St (United Nations of Smalltalk)

I believe that the Squeak/Pharo/Cuis communit(ies) share one very special thing, which most of the world has completely missed, and which the world sorely needs if the true power of computing to unleash and evolve the human mind is ever to be realized: a love and appreciation for personal technological augmentation/amplification available to all as represented by the Dynabook and/or its prototype software (Smalltalk as a concept, not any version/implementation e.g. Smalltalk-80).

Like a few survivors after the sinking of Atlantis, we can pick up the remnants of this dream and resume marching toward the objective (or at least keep its memory alive until an auspicious time when it can be realized)… or, like most groups of human beings throughout history who start with a common aim, we can bicker among ourselves about e.g. historical discrepancies, personal slights, and conflicting subgoals, and allow those squabbles to distract us and derail our primary mission. This would be disappointing but not surprising: it is how every war is started.

I have contributed, hacked, conferenced, and visited with many members of our wider community for over a decade now and, maybe because I had the “luxury” of finding Smalltalk after some of the political lines had been well-drawn, I can clearly see that we are fundamentally united. I cringe every time I see cynical, caustic exchanges - both for my participating colleagues who are obviously in pain - probably exacerbated by their passion for our shared endevour - and for the counterproductive effect the antagonism is sure to have on our common goal. Virtually every exchange is between two people who I personally know to be good and competent.

Here is my proposal: Let’s form an informal committee - a United Nations of Smalltalk if you will - including at least one member of each community, who will collaborate on cooperation between the dialects and mediate any friction before it boils over.

I’d be happy to participate, I guess as a representative of the Pharo community. Although I have no official role in the Pharo leadership, I have much of my professional life invested there. I often wish I had the time to keep all my projects compatible with Squeak, but I usually feel like I’m barely keeping up as it is!

I hope I’m not alone in these feelings and look forward to the response of our community (most emphatically singular). This message is being cross-posted to Pharo-Dev, Squeak-Dev, and Cuis MLs (I think I’m still a member of all three - fingers crossed…)

- Sean (DeNigris)

Eliot Miranda wrote on Thu, 4 Jun 2020 13:21:58 -0700
This was about the development of the shared VM, while Sean is proposing
something at the community level.

If it is only Pharo, Squeak and Cuis then I agree it is essentially Open
Smalltalk. I would prefer something that could include VisualWorks and
Object Studio (Cincom), VA Smalltalk (Instantiations), GNU Smalltalk,
Tumbleweed, Amber, U8, Redline, Sharp-Smalltalk, Dolphin, Smalltalk/X,
Gemstone/S and Self. Are there any other non dead communities?

-- Jecel

Hi Sean,

On Thu, Jun 04, 2020 at 12:16:21PM -0400, Sean DeNigris wrote:
> I believe that the Squeak/Pharo/Cuis communit(ies) share one very
> special thing, which most of the world has completely missed, and
> which the world sorely needs if the true power of computing to unleash
> and evolve the human mind is ever to be realized: a love and appreciation
> for personal technological augmentation/amplification available to all
> as represented by the Dynabook and/or its prototype software (Smalltalk
> as a concept, not any version/implementation e.g. Smalltalk-80).
>

I think you are right about this. If you can find a way to get a few
people together to promote this point of view, that would be a good
thing for all involved.

For me personally, I see the differences in Squeak, Cuis and Pharo
as a positive thing. Mainly I am connected with Squeak, but I love
the focus on simplicity and excellence of execution that I see in
Cuis, and I am inspired by some of the development that has been done
on the Pharo platform. I also know that if we tried to mash those
goals and objectives into one common image, we would have a giant mess.
So to me, having these three different projects is a good thing,
and to the extent that we can help one another out, that's great.

If a few Squeak/Cuis/Pharo folks can find a way to get together to
hoist a beer and promote the common good, then big thumbs up.

Dave
 

On 04/06/20 9:46 pm, Sean DeNigris wrote:
> I believe that the Squeak/Pharo/Cuis communit(ies) share one very
> special thing, which most of the world has completely missed, and
> which the world sorely needs if the true power of computing to
> unleash and evolve the human mind is ever to be realized: a love and
> appreciation for personal technological augmentation/amplification
> available to all as represented by the Dynabook and/or its prototype
> software (Smalltalk as a concept, not any version/implementation e.g.
> Smalltalk-80).

+1000! Thank you, Sean, for stepping up.

Dynabook, as a model for a personal computing "machine" [1], was far
ahead of its time. For a machine to be used for personal purposes, it
has to be affordable and adaptable. It has taken technology a long time
to become affordable across the globe but I believe we have crossed that
threshold now.

What makes such a machine valuable is the triplet model x people x
purpose. I see Smalltalk as a model (objects, messages, persistent state
etc.) while realized machines like ST-80, Squeak, Pharo, Cuis caters to
different sets of people using it for different purposes. Each one is
valuable when we consider the entire triple. Ambulances may constitute a
tiny fraction of automobiles, but they serve a valuable role. People may
sneer at bullock carts, but they continue to serve a valuable role in
India (search web for "bullock cart sona towers" for a fascinating story
;-)).

The Smalltalk model is now sufficiently validated for it to deserve its
own Foundation/Society/Association. It will be good for all makers to
come together to promote wider adoption of this model for different sets
of people and purposes.

[1] I use the word machine in its original sense of "easing or
amplifying effort". While machine has connotations of tangible
components for old timers, the current generation moves seamlessly
between using hard machines like keyboard and "soft" machines like WIMP,
particularly when working with personal machines like Etoys.

Regards .. Subbu