Smalltalk

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An Object-oriented, dynamically typed programming language that was the main development language used by IBM for the creation of application and development software from the late 1980's into the late 90's when Java took over. It is a simplification of Simula patterned on Euler (experimental Pascal predecessor) but features a dynamic typing system closer to LISP than to most of its Algol brethren and that has long been its Achilles heel, while simplifying programming somewhat it also cases a considerable execution slowdown in comparison to other languages in the Algol family.

The Smalltalk language suffered great setbacks in that latter half of the nineties when almost all of the companies building tools for the language turned their attention to Java and either mothballed or discontinued their Smalltalk offerings wholesale, in more recent years to the renewed interest in Eiffel has also contributed to an erosion of the Smalltalk mindshare, but the latter language has an even cleaner object orientation features and greatly improved execution speeds.

OS/2 implementations

Add-ons and utilities

Most Smalltalk add-ons are/were system specific and are therefore only listed on the page of the Smalltalk system that they support

  • ENVY/Developer - Commercial - Discontinued
  • Sina/st - OO abstraction language - Open source - Discontinued
  • Smalltalk Professional Debug Package - Commercial - Discontinued
  • SUnit - Testing framework - Open source - Discontinued
  • Synopsis - Automatic document creator - Commercial - Discontinued
  • VA Assist - Commercial - Discontinued
  • Versant Argos - Commercial - Discontinued.
  • VOSS - Database/transaction/object persistence system - Commercial/open source - Discontinued
  • WindowBuilder Pro - GUI builder - Commercial - Discontinued

Class libraries

  • Indelv XML Libary - Open source library under the Mozilla Public License - a VisualAge version compatible with OS/2 was supposedly available but the company actually never uploaded it to their site, neither the last 2.2 beta or the earlier 1.01, even though there were download links both of to them on their site for years.
  • Seaside - Web framework - Works on some OS/2 SmallTalk's with a little bit of massaging.
  • TOPLink - Database connection/persistence classes- Commercial - Discontinued
  • WidgetKit/BusinessGraphics - Graphics library - Commercial - Discontinued

Foreign libraries with Smalltalk bindings

  • Cairo - 2D graphics library - Open source - Current
  • LibcURL - Internet URL (WWW, FTP, etc) access - Open Source - Current
  • LZ4 - Compression library - Open source - Current
  • Snappy - Compression lib. - Open Source - Current

OS/2 text & programmers editors with Smalltalk support

  • jEdit - Java based editor - Smalltalk syntax highlighting built in - Current

DOS implementations of SmallTalk

  • Methods - Commercial - Discontinued
  • Smalltalk/V DOS - Commercial - Discontinued
  • GNU Smalltalk - Open Source - Discontinued
  • Little Smalltalk - Open Source - Discontinued
  • ParcPlace Smalltalk-80 - Commercial - Discontinued
  • PDST - Open Source - Discontinued
  • Squeak - Open Source - Discontinued

Implementations that run under WinOS/2

WinOS/2 compatible Smalltalk libraries and utilities

Implementations that run under Java

  • Athena - Open source - Current - Based on Small World (below) - intended for embedding.
  • Bistro - Open source - Discontinued
  • Redline Smalltalk - Open source - Current
  • Smalltalk/JVM - Commercial - Discontinued - Was intended to help you migrate code from SmallTalk to Java rather than as an environment to develop in/for.
  • Small World - Open source - Discontinued
  • Talks2 Smalltalk - Open source - Discontinued
  • VmxJava - Open source - Discontinued

Implementations in JavaScript

  • Amber - A Smalltalk like language that compiles to ECMAScript - Open source - Current
  • Clamato - A Smalltalk interpreter for ECMAScript - Open source - Current
  • Little Smallscript - Another Smalltalk to JS compiler - Open source - Current
  • Quicksilver Smalltalk - SmallTalk-80 compatible interpreter in ECMAScript - Open source - Current
  • SqueakJS - An interpreter that allows you to run Squeak Smalltalk inside a browser - Open source - Current
  • ST2JS - SmallTalkt to ECMAScript converter - Open source - Current

Links and publications

For information on Smalltalk writings in print see the Smalltalk Bibliography

Standards

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