5 ms·
language developers consistently underestimate the importance of "Algol-like syntax" in allowing mainstream adoption.
by asah 5y ago
language developers consistently underestimate the importance of "Algol-like syntax" in allowing mainstream adoption.
- pjmlp 5y agoActually language developers consistently underestimate the importance of large corporations pushing languages no matter what developers think about them. Smalltalk lost the day IBM decided to join Sun. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisualAge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisualAge > VisualAge Micro Edition, which supports development of embedded Java applications and cross system development, is a reimplementation of the IDE in Java. This version of VisualAge morphed into the Eclipse Framework.
- discreteevent 5y agoJava was free and open source and based on files rather than an image.
- igouy 5y agoJava was free. (And marketed by a large organization.)
- cmrdporcupine 5y agoIt's true, and a huge point. Until Squeak came along I as a hobbyist -- who was really interested in Smaltalk -- simply couldn't get my hands on a Smalltalk (other than GNU Smalltalk which doesn't count). All through the 80s and early 90s I salivated at screenshots and descriptions of it, but never got to play with it. That said, When I did finally get Squeak, I found it pretty neat, but it just never blew me away like I thought it would. I just didn't have anything to do with it.
- philipswood 5y agoFree as in "free beer", but not open source until much, much later. Interestingly enough the JVM hotspot compiler was done by Smalltalkers (checkout Strongtalk)
- xkriva11 5y agosome reading from that era: https://techmonitor.ai/technology/the_parcplace_digitalk_merger_a_tale_of_terror https://techmonitor.ai/technology/the_parcplace_digitalk_mer...