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

Interested in watching this take shape - why not join our developer program?