Posted by Sean P. DeNigris on Aug 26, 2014; 12:26pm
URL: https://forum.world.st/Can-Pharo-meet-all-your-computing-needs-tp4774250p4774868.html

Sven Van Caekenberghe-2 wrote

Open source means nothing if you cannot read the code, do not understand it, cannot change it - easily.

Yes!!! This is why just open sourcing a bad idea like an OS (see GNU/Linux) doesn't cut it. Even though theoretically you have access to the whole system, you can judge the practicality of doing so by looking at how few people actually do so. Compare that with Smalltalk, where it seems a rarity to find someone who /doesn't/ take advantage of modifying the core (granted Smalltalkers are somewhat self-selected). The system must be distilled down and unified until it is easily understandable and changeable by a single person. We'll know we're there when we have the equivalent functionality of "an OS + Standard Suite of Common Applications" in which it is commonplace for users to dig down and modify any level.