Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!tektronix!zeus!teklds!leslie
From: leslie@teklds.TEK.COM (Les Rohde)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.smalltalk
Subject: Re: Mac Smalltalk from Apple
Message-ID: <2684@teklds.TEK.COM>
Date: 22 Dec 87 00:52:09 GMT
References: <323@uhmanoa.UUCP> <2630@mmintl.UUCP> <7073@apple.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.
Lines: 43
Keywords: Smalltalk,Mac,MacApp
Summary: Different is not always better

In article <7073@apple.UUCP>, kentb@apple.UUCP (Kent Beck) writes:
> 
> Here is the scoop on Macintosh Smalltalk (or whatever we end up calling it):
> ...
> MST is based on the Xerox version 1 image.  We are removing MVC and replacing
> it with the Mac Toolbox and MacApp.  On top of that we are re-implementing
> the user interface (title bars, dialog boxes, menu bar, etc).  We have
> finished our first cut at the UI and I'm in the process of removing the MVC
> classes (a great feeling, let me tell you!)  As soon as that's done we'll
> ....
 
   OK, but wouldn't it be nice if I could develop programs on Teks,
   Suns, DECs, IBMs and Macs that would all look and run the same?

   So maybe I don't know what is removed by all this, but I must assume 
   that an application (MVC of course) done on my Tek workstation (no 
   use of the extensions) may not even filein on a mac and will certainly
   not work properly. Right?

   Different is often better -- I own a mac at home, use a mac at work 
   and will never use an msdos prompt again, but sameness is often 
   an advantage as well.  The unifing power of unix is the great degree
   of portability across vendor's and it's pitfall is the change vendors
   introduce that impede portability (not purposely so, in general).
   For us developers of applications that run on many different boxes
   this is a continuing nightmare and ultimately reduces the range of
   choice available to customers.  This goes double for languages and
   triple for languages that are also operating systems.

   St80 is a VERY big system and learning two of them just seems unjustified.
   There are no doubt good reasons for the changes you are making but
   it means that some of the rest of us will not be buying any because 
   Apple is not the only computer in the world.  
   
   Too bad.  I had hoped for a workstation with my favorite language,
   my favorite OS and all my favorite applications all on one box -- I 
   guess I'll have to save room for my Tek workstation after all.

   
Leslie Rohde				tektronix!teklds!leslie
CAE Systems Division			503-629-3051
Tektronix
	What were once vices are now habits.