Hoi!
Eliot wrote:
> Pharo isn't inspired by Smalltalk; it /is/ a Smalltalk. Trying to
> be mealy-mouthed about it and claiming inspiration, rather than
> proudly declaring its a Smalltalk is IMO as bad as apologizing for it
> being dead... We don't need to avoid the S word...
Sean later wrote:
> ...it's a question of who you're marketing to. Since we're marketing
> to non-Smalltalkers (quite wise since 16% market penetration is the
> tipping point, and we're not there yet), clearly "Pharo is Smalltalk-
> inspired" is the thing to say. It's not any more or less true than
> the latter, just more useful in its context.
And of course, with apologies to Alan, some of us think the name
"Smalltalk" was a poor choice from day one (in 1971). Surely there are
names which are suitably "innocuous"[1] but also convey some of the
magic in "providing computer support for the creative spirit in
everyone"[2]. "Smalltalk" is a vague and anemic name. From that weak
starting point, the other baggage is even heavier (perhaps it's helpful
to think of a balloon here? :).
I would use a new name and not mention "Smalltalk" at all unless
asked about it. At that point, I would proudly recount accomplishments.
Whenever someone just blurts out that Smalltalk is dead, I always
correct them, and it's not difficult. "Smalltalk-inspired" is a
non-starter, because it implies (in all contexts) that there isn't a
direct line of descent (there clearly is). I agree that it sounds
mealy-mouthed, disingenuous. "Smalltalk-derived" would be the honest
phrasing, and also sounds bad. Yeesh, if you have a problem with the
"Smalltalk" name, don't be the first to mention it. :)
Let's put more energy into a concise and intriguing description. I
think the primary concepts are programming, dynamism and messaging. The
word "livecoding" seems to resonate these days. If we're going to repeat
a word twenty times, I would choose that one. :) It has a nice ring
that draws people in. When they ask what livecoding is, you can describe
dynamism, and then describe how the coding is structured (messaging,
objects, etc.).
thanks,
-C
[1] http://gagne.homedns.org/~tgagne/contrib/EarlyHistoryST.html
[2] http://tinyurl.com/25s52qd (archive.org, Ingalls)
--
Craig Latta
www.netjam.org
+31 6 2757 7177 (SMS ok)
+ 1 415 287 3547 (no SMS)
