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Cincom Smalltalk Digest: October Edition

Posted on by Author Jeremy Jordan in Categories Cincom Smalltalk, Cincom Smalltalk Digest Newsletter Archive

Cincom Smalltalk Digest

Welcome to the October 2023 edition of the Cincom Smalltalk Digest. In this month’s newsletter, you will find the following:

CUSTOMERS and PARTNERS
  • Are You Ready to Upgrade Your Application to the Current Version of Cincom Smalltalk?
  • How Easy Is It to Submit New Cincom Smalltalk Support Cases?
BEGINNERS and DEVELOPERS
  • Why Does Productivity Matter in Software Development?
  • Are You Ready to Evaluate Commercial Smalltalk’s Productivity?
  • Some Techniques to Make Applications Simpler and Easier

CUSTOMERS and PARTNERS

Are You Ready to Upgrade Your Application to the Current Version of Cincom Smalltalk?

We recently released Cincom Smalltalk 9.3.1 to our customers and partners and made it available to request through our Product Order Form. Cincom Smalltalk 9.3.1 is the maintenance releases of Cincom® ObjectStudio® 9.3.1 and Cincom® VisualWorks® 9.3.1 and contains fixes and improvements to the last major 9.3 release.

It’s time to upgrade your product! How can the Cincom Smalltalk team help you succeed?

  • Our consultants can assess the environment, interfacing systems and available resources to provide you with a reliable estimate of effort and cost for the upgrade itself, arming you with the needed information to properly allocate your “use it or lose it” money as the year ends.

Whatever it is you need, we are here to help. Reach out to the Cincom Smalltalk team so we can make your upgrade simple and cost-effective.

How Easy Is It to Submit New Cincom Smalltalk Support Cases?

If you are looking to submit a new case to Cincom Smalltalk Support, this is the easiest way to do it:

Additionally, these links can be helpful with the submission process and finding out more information:

If you have any questions or comments, reach out to the Cincom Smalltalk Product Team at CSSTARTeam@cincom.com.

BEGINNERS and DEVELOPERS

Here you can find informative articles and see specific Smalltalk examples for learning new skills or enhancing existing skills using Cincom Smalltalk.

Why Does Productivity Matter in Software Development?

When it comes to software development platforms, the choice is crucial for decision-makers. Productivity in software development is a critical factor that directly impacts the success of businesses and the economy. Studies showing the impact of poor software quality on the US economy shed light on the magnitude of the problem and emphasize the need for increased productivity in software development:

  • Increased productivity translates into significant cost savings for companies. According to a study by the Consortium for IT Software Quality, poor software quality costs the US economy an estimated $2.41 trillion annually.
  • In terms of cost savings, a study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) found that the cost of fixing defects increases exponentially as the development phase progresses.
  • According to a study conducted by the Standish Group, even a small improvement of 1% in software productivity can lead to substantial cost savings for a small to medium-sized company (SMB), with savings potentially amounting up to $1 million. This highlights the significant impact that productivity can have on a company’s financial performance.

One of the key factors affecting productivity in software development is the time it takes to develop and deliver solutions. The longer it takes to develop software, the more resources are consumed, and the slower businesses can respond to market demands. This not only leads to economic losses but also hampers innovation and competitiveness.

Increasing productivity in software development can:

  • Reduce development time
  • Minimize defects
  • Enhance overall efficiency
  • Save costs associated with rework, maintenance, and support

By investing in a highly productive development tool like Cincom Smalltalk, companies can reduce defects, time for rework, and associated costs.

Various industry surveys consistently rank Smalltalk as one of the most productive programming languages. For example, the Computer Language Benchmarks Game revealed that Smalltalk outperformed popular languages like Java and C++ in terms of code size and execution speed.

Are You Ready to Evaluate Commercial Smalltalk’s Productivity?

The primary objective of the Cincom Smalltalk Personal Use License (CST PUL) centers around the assessment and evaluation of commercial Smalltalk. This personal use version is intended for individuals who are new to Cincom Smalltalk and are seeking to evaluate its suitability for their application development needs. The current CST PUL consists of two components: Cincom ObjectStudio and Cincom VisualWorks.

The availability of the current version (Cincom Smalltalk 9.3.1) is limited exclusively to existing customers and partners. If your development needs require the most recent 9.3.1 version, please contact the Cincom Smalltalk STAR Team. We will connect you with the right salesperson to ensure that you purchase the option that fits your needs.

Some Techniques to Make Applications Simpler and Easier

The Cincom Smalltalk Hidden Gems screencast series is beneficial for Cincom Smalltalk beginners as well as seasoned developers. These instructional videos demonstrate how to get the most out of the many Cincom Smalltalk features available, including a number of “hidden gems” that significantly boost both productivity and efficiency.

/ˈtaɡiNG/ Tagging – “the action of attaching a label to something”

In August, we produced the first Hidden Gems tutorial about “Tagging.” This video demonstrated a simple and effective technique for “tagging,” or ways to mark something with information you can utilize.

Watch this tutorial below, or click here: https://youtu.be/AZue48ntEfQ 

[ embed video ]

In part two of “Tagging,” we dive into Pragmas. Pragmas are a true hidden gem, and when used well, can help make applications simpler and easier to develop and maintain. In this new tutorial, we use past Hidden Gems examples and show how you can add new data series to applications by adding a single new method. We hope this screencast provides a lot of value and new ideas for developers.  

Included in this screencast:

  • Pragma setup (declaration)
  • Pragma creation
  • Finding your pragmas
  • Examples in an application – Using Domains/Apps/Frameworks from other Hidden Gems!

Watch this new tutorial below, or click here: [ insert link ]

[ embed video ]

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