Cincom Smalltalk Digest: June Edition

Welcome to the June 2023 edition of the Cincom Smalltalk Digest. In this edition, we will highlight:

CUSTOMERS and PARTNERS

• The Resolutions Newsletter: An Exclusive Benefit for Cincom Smalltalk Customers and Partners

• Reminder: New Case Submission Instructions for Cincom Smalltalk

BEGINNERS, FREELANCERS and DEVELOPERS

• Who Is the Cincom Smalltalk Personal Use License for?

• Productivity Is a Necessary Ingredient for Success

• Upgrading to an API

CUSTOMERS and PARTNERS

The Resolutions Newsletter: An Exclusive Benefit for Cincom Smalltalk Customers and Partners

When our customers and partners access their benefits packages, the world of Cincom opens to them. With their proverbial “keycard,” access to product support is one of the luxuries our customers and partners often use. There are several advantages here, including having the ability to use the Cincom SupportWeb to solve issues.

One of the more exclusive benefits is the Cincom Smalltalk Resolutions Newsletter. This subscription-only publication was created over a decade ago for customers and partners only. This valuable publication gives subscribers an easy way to scan through the resolutions that were delivered for Cincom Smalltalk during the previous month.

Feedback from customers and partners has helped us shape the newsletter into what it is today. Following reader feedback, our product marketing team stepped in to add more information for those who wanted an easier way to keep up with Cincom and Cincom Smalltalk.

With the recent release of Cincom Smalltalk 9.3, there’s no better time to be a subscriber! If you are interested in receiving this monthly newsletter with updates on patches for Cincom Smalltalk, subscribe here.

Reminder: New Case Submission Instructions for Cincom Smalltalk

For quick access to Cincom Smalltalk Support:

• Visit Cincom SupportWeb for immediate support.
• Email HelpNA@cincom.com and EuroTSC@cincom.com to file new support cases.
• View Cincom Support Levels.
• Review the Cincom Smalltalk Resolutions Portal.

Reach out to the Cincom Smalltalk Product Team at CSSTARTeam@cincom.com if you have any further questions or comments.

BEGINNERS, FREELANCERS and DEVELOPERS

Who Is the Cincom Smalltalk Personal Use License For?

The purpose of the Cincom Smalltalk Personal Use License (CST PUL) is to evaluate a highly productive commercial Smalltalk solution. This version is available for those who are new to Cincom Smalltalk and looking to see if it’s the right solution for their business or application development needs. Please note, the current CST PUL is made up of both Cincom® ObjectStudio® 8.9 and Cincom® VisualWorks® 8.3.

The recent 9.3 version of Cincom Smalltalk is only available to current Cincom customers and partners. If you require the latest 9.3 version, please reach out to the Cincom Smalltalk STAR Team and we will put you in touch with the appropriate salesperson to align you with the best option for purchase.

Productivity Is a Necessary Ingredient for Success

Each year on June 20, the world celebrates World Productivity Day. Maintaining productivity when responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of an entire organization’s operations is no easy feat. Maintaining output demands a relentless dedication to eliminating inefficiencies and improving workflow. World Productivity Day is a good time to think about the people and organizations whose efforts make it possible for you to stay on track and get things done efficiently.

Increased #productivity is necessary for every company to succeed.

On #WorldProductivityDay, we wanted to share ways that using @cincomsmalltalk can help with this. To find out how Cincom #Smalltalk can make you more productive, click here: https://t.co/56gTkkuu0z pic.twitter.com/BOiRz6dBW9

— Cincom Smalltalk | try.cincomsmalltalk.com (@cincomsmalltalk) June 20, 2023

Increased productivity is necessary for every company to succeed in the marketplace. Raising productivity allows firms to make greater use of their assets, which in turn improves their bottom line. Increased productivity is necessary for every company to succeed in the marketplace. Raising productivity allows firms to make greater use of their assets, which in turn improves their bottom line.

There are several positive effects of increased productivity on enterprises:

1. Productivity raises effectiveness since it improves the use of time, labor and capital within an organization. When workers are efficient, they are able to get more done in less time, which in turn helps firms to maximize output while decreasing input costs.
2. Productivity boosts allow companies to make more money by producing more of their products and services. A company’s ability to sell its goods or services and, by extension, earn profit depends on its level of productivity.
3. Productivity gives a company an edge over its rivals and makes it more competitive in the marketplace. It can outperform its less efficient rivals in terms of getting things done, satisfying customers and making superior products.
4. Businesses are cost-effective if they maximize output with the fewest possible inputs of time, money and other resources. This means its financial objectives may be met more rapidly and cost-effectively.
5. Employee morale is enhanced when workers see that their efforts are making a difference. When people can see how their efforts are improving the company’s bottom line, it does wonders for their morale and sense of accomplishment.

In studies and comparisons, Cincom Smalltalk is consistently more productive than any other mainstream language.

• To find out how Cincom Smalltalk can make you more productive, click here.

Upgrading to an API

Cincom Smalltalk novices and veterans alike can benefit from the Hidden Gems screencast series. These instructional videos show how to make the most of various Cincom Smalltalk features, including several “hidden gems” that significantly increase efficiency and productivity.

This “Build-it” Series covers techniques and discussions that are useful to developers. It will demonstrate some coding techniques, API development, design decisions and data acquisition.

Some of the things demonstrated or discussed in the second episode include:

• Why an API?
• APIs available         
• API Key           
• Examine the API specification
• Restful API  
• XML or JSON?

For review, Part I – Hidden Gems: “Build It” Series, discussed:

• The Federal Reserve Economic Data website
• Downloading data
• Parsing the data
• Best practices
• Improving the code

Part III, which is coming in July, will discuss:

• Design decisions
• Simplify but be flexible
• Primary use should have minimal and clear messages.
• Final model and recap

For data, we will use the Federal Reserve Economic Data website. This website supports downloading raw data and an API. We will demonstrate effective ways to use both.