[Cuis-dev] Lynn Conway (1938-2024) [was: change image in ImageMorph]

[Juan Vuletich]

On 6/14/2024 7:15 AM, Boris Shingarov via Cuis-dev wrote:
>> Smalltalk-80
>> was a high success, has had a tremendous influence in software technology,
>> and is still the most powerful practical programming language for most
>> problems.
> 100% agree.
>
>> Hence, Cuis.
> Just to avoid any potential misunderstanding: I am NOT suggesting
> that Cuis somehow loses through being a Smalltalk-80.  Very far from it.
>
> What I *am* trying to say, is, Alan Kay and others at PARC gave us this
> priceless gift of Smalltalk; and to repay them for this gift, uncritical
> worshipping would be the worst way.  And to blindly accept the wholesale
> design of Smalltalk-80 "just because that's the system the Great Fathers
> built", cargo-cult-science-style, would be diametrically opposite to the
> spirit of Smalltalk (and I am sure would leave Alan Kay very unhappy).
> To just copy Dan Ingalls' toys [of the 1970s], is NOT to be doing
> Smalltalk.  This is why I am trying to build my own Smalltalk [of the
> 2020s], and one fundamental prerequisite is to clearly separate what is
> Smalltalk from what were design decisions dictated by the limitations
> of the 1970s, when we are looking at the artifact we are holding in our
> hands (i.e. Smalltalk-80 system).
>
> Obviously Cuis is on the good side here because you are building your
> own whole system, so we are indisputably on the same page already.

You know I fully agree with you.

> Yet at the same time, I *have* experienced resistance coming from the
> "don't-change-what-Great-Fathers-built" attitude of a part of the
> currently-existing Smalltalk community, and this is what I am trying to
> improve when posting essays like that original "Lynn Conway" email

I have also experienced that. Most likely I've been guilty of that too.

Some people are concerned about the existence of more than one Smalltalk 
dialect. (They are usually people who contribute little to nothing to 
any of them!) I'm not concerned about that. There are different possible 
answers to "What should we keep from Smalltalk-80, what should we 
change?". Various Smalltalk projects chose different answers. Then, 
various paths are explored. More experience and knowledge is gained.

Personally, Cuis is my choice (most of the time). But I like using an 
original Smalltalk-80 from time to time. And I love learning what 
projects like yours (and a few others) are doing.

Cheers,

-- 
Juan Vuletich
cuis.st
github.com/jvuletich
researchgate.net/profile/Juan-Vuletich
independent.academia.edu/JuanVuletich
patents.justia.com/inventor/juan-manuel-vuletich
linkedin.com/in/juan-vuletich-75611b3
twitter.com/JuanVuletich