cdshaffer@acm.org
Last modified: Sun Jan 16 12:30:46 EST 2005
Here is a partial list of Smalltalk implementations. All, except for Dolphin, generate platform independent bytecode so the same "program" can run on any OS supported by the Virtual Machine (VM) vendor. Also, all except ST/X support developing "Applets" using their plugins (available for Netscape and IE). All of them include frameworks for server-side web development at varying levels of sophistication.
If you're not familiar with Smalltalk, look at some of the tutorial and information links in later sections.
I personally use VisualWorks for almost all of my Smalltalk
development simply because it supports Linux, has the broadest range
of tools at a reasonable price and produces professional looking GUI's.
I'd love to get Dolphin for Linux but don't see any progress in that
direction from the Object Arts folks.
| Version | License | Platforms | GUI Tools | Strengths | Weaknesses | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VisualWorks Smalltalk | Commercial Full version is free for non-commercial use |
Most UN*X's (+ Linux), Windows, MacOS | Included, excellent | Fast (well optimized VM) Very sophisticated Web Development tools (VisualWave + Smalltalk Server Pages + plugin support) |
Uses lightweight widgets (like Java2 platform but much faster) so native widgets are unavailable. | Direct descendant of the original Smalltalk 80 from PARC. Includes virtual machines for several UNIX's (+Linux), Windows, and MacOS. Excellent for enterprise and/or multi-platform software development. |
| Squeak | Free. Liberal license. | Most UN*X's (+ Linux), Windows, MacOS, Acorn, Palm Pilot, many others | Morphic makes an interesting GUI development tool. Actual traditional GUI application development tools are available but weak | Sophisticated multimedia support: Native audio The Morphic framework for animation Alice support for 3D rendering/animation |
Runs in "one big window" and the lightweight widgets don't look very professional. Slow, in my opinion, on anything less than a 500Mhz PIII. | Originally developed by team at Disney. Very liberal license. |
| Dolphin Smalltalk | Commercial ($cheap) Old version available for free use |
Windows only | Included, excellent | Native windows widgets Uses MVP GUI framework -- cool! |
||
| VA Smalltalk | Commercial | Windows, Some UN*X's and Linux | Included, excellent | Native Windows/X-Windows widgets | I have no experience with VA Smalltalk | |
| ST/X | Free | Most UN*X's, Windows release just out of Beta | Included, excellent | Emulated widgets much closer to Motif-like behavior Support for in-line C code Seems FAST |
Uses CVS for revision control (awkward) |
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David Shaffer cdshaffer@acm.org Last modified: Sun Jan 16 12:30:46 EST 2005 |
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