Cincom Smalltalk Roadmap 2008
A Look Forward
High Priority work: (work we plan to address first, currently)
Seaside support What: We have already delivered support for Seaside 2.8 in VW 7.6 and OST 8.1 - we are entering the beta phase with Web Velocity, our new roduct based on Seaside How: We will be porting the latest Seaside code from the Seaside community sources, and submitting changes we think should be made back to that community Why: Seaide is the best way to build stateful web applications, and it's the best way to bring Smalltalk to people who do not already know it
Internationalization support What: More extensive internationalization support to handle formatting, collation, display, and input for a very large set of languages and locales. How: Unicode Common Locale Data Registry (CLDR). The Unicode CLDR provides key building blocks for software to support the world's languages. We will use the Unicode Common Locale Data Registry (CLDR) standard registry of locales, and ensure that we can handle display and input of Unicode characters on all platforms. Why: Customers increasingly need to handle diverse and multiple locals to support internationally delivered applications
64 bit VM support What: Deliver our Smalltalk environments capable of running on 64 bit operating systems as 64 bit applications How: Why: 64 bit addressability gives the ability to support many more objects in memory is the primary benefit. Other benefits include much larger SmallIntegers, and the introduction of SmallDouble.
Modernization - Improved Graphics Capability What: Greatly improve the graphics capabilities of our product, in rendering graphics How: We are moving forward in vetting the experimental work integrating with the Cairo graphics framework. As long as it remains viable, we want to get this into preview in the next release. Significant Why: It improves the ability to deliver very attractive, modern interfaces, adding features like complex alpha channel transparencies and gradients.
Modernization - GUI infrastructure work What: Improvements and refinements to our gui infrastructure How: Many improvements are well understood Why: It makes the current gui simpler, faster, easier to use
Modernization - Graphics Design Work What: Improving the look of the IDE with modern icons and logos How: Professionally designed graphics Why: Modernize the attractiveness of the IDE
Modernization - Object Studio 8 GUI update What: Update the look of the IDE with modern widgets Why: Modernize the attractiveness of the IDE
Modeling Tools - Object Studio 8 What: Restore & enhance the OS classic modeling tool Why: A core feature for new Object Studio users
Shadow Loading and Parcel Generation What: Loading from Store as an atomic load How: Loads work more like parcel loads Why: More tolerant & capable loading, product build use
DLLCC speed What: Make calls out to external libraries faster Why: Makes high frequency external calls perform
High load threading saftey What: Make concurrent operations more robust Why: Improves heavy load robustness and for grid computing
Posix Style Delays What: Make delays more robust Why: Makes delays work correctly under broader conditions and stress
Priority work: (work we plan to address, currently)
Modernization -Fonts What: Make using fonts, and font capabilities, better How: Numerous
Modernization - Look Policies What: Improve the look and feel policies How: Numerous Why: More authentic platform behavior, better looking applications
VMasDLL What: Make Smalltalk more easily callable as DLL or SO How: Numerous Why: Makes Smalltalk more viable for multi technology solutions
DLLCC tools What: Make integrating with and using external libraries easier Why: Lets users leverage more external solutions and libraries to solve problems
Protocols enhanced What: Bring protocols up to current spec, where needed Why: Keep protocols current
Native Installers What: Install with platform specific installer Why: Provide a more familiar platform installation experience
Research: Leverage Multi Core What: Make it easier to leverage multi-core computer How: research & consider different approaches Why: Taking advantage of ubiquitous multi-core computers is attractive
Mapping Tools - Object Studio 8 What: Restore and enhance the OS classic mapping functionality Why: A core feature for new Object Studio users
Web Velocity on EC2/S3/SimpleDb What: Zero setup time to build web applications How: Sign up for Amazon services from the Web Velocity product page Why: Remove barriers to entry for building and deploying web applications
Mac OSX Improvements What: Numerous fixes and improvements for the OSX Why: Improvements for speed, stability and capability on Mac
Store improvements What: Improve Store capabilities and usability How: Improve speed, merge capabilities, configuration management Why: Better source code control for heavy use
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