Smalltalk with James Robertson

I just ran across a demo of an Amber app:

Technorati Tags: amber

Today's Smalltalk 4 You takes a look at some of the ways that VA Assist Pro helps out with the Composition Editor. If you have trouble viewing it here in the browser, you can also navigate directly to YouTube. To watch now, click on the image below:

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If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here.

You can also watch it on YouTube:

Today we'll look at where the widgets that you use in the Parts tool are picked and placed, and how VA Assist Pro makes that task a bit easier. To start with, examine the left hand side of the screen. The toolbars on the left have widgets: the leftmost is categories. Select one, and you get widgets in that "Set":

Quite often, you'll want some of the more commonly used parts - and that's where VA Assist Pro comes in. Open that up from the "Options" menu:

If you switch to the "Parts" tab, you'll see some of the more commonly used widgets. This often makes it easier to build UIs, as they will mostly be made up of stock parts:

Need more help? There's a screencast for other topics like this which you may want to watch. Questions? Try the "Chat with James" Google gadget over in the sidebar.

Technorati Tags: smalltalk, va smalltalk, parts

Go get the new release and check out the update news at the Pharo site.

Technorati Tags: pharo

Today's Javascript 4 You digs into the event object in JQuery some more. If you have trouble viewing it here in the browser, you can also navigate directly to YouTube. Join the Facebook Group to discuss the tutorials. You can view the archives here.

To watch now, click on the image below:

If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here.

You can also watch it on YouTube:

Technorati Tags: javascript, jquery, tutorial

If this patent doesn't convince you that software patents are a bad idea, nothing will:

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today published patent 8,161,411 related to a "graphical user interface for browsing, searching, and presenting media items." Apple filed for the patent back in 2004, when the online retail venue was still known as the iTunes Music Store. The patent appears to be quite broad, but focuses solely on the graphical user interface, and not the way in which people might buy songs on the platform or its general functionality. That said, the patent abstract says that the user interface is "suitable for previewing or purchasing media items in an on-line manner."

Does the US PTO screen specifically for idiots?

Technorati Tags: stupidity

Today's Smalltalk 4 You digs into the Composition Editor in VA Smalltalk again. It's easy to add enough connections to make things a bit confusing - fortunately, you can filter them in various ways. If you have trouble viewing it here in the browser, you can also navigate directly to YouTube. To watch now, click on the image below:

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If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here.

You can also watch it on YouTube:

Today we'll look at filtering the connections view in the composition editor. While our simple example has a small number of connections, it will serve to demonstrate how you can filter out what you do and don't want to see. First, pull down the "Connections" menu:

By default, you'll be seeing all connections. Try selecting "Hide all Connections":

Now we are looking at a canvas with just our parts on it. At this point, we can return to the same menu and start turning connections selectively on - for instance, just the events:

Or just the attribute connections:

By doing this, we can examine our connections in detail and not get lost in the full complexity. You can also tell what's going on at a glance - note that event connectors are green, while attribute connectors are blue.

Need more help? There's a screencast for other topics like this which you may want to watch. Questions? Try the "Chat with James" Google gadget over in the sidebar.

Technorati Tags: smalltalk, va smalltalk, parts

Today's Javascript 4 You continues to look at events in JQuery focusing on the event's target. If you have trouble viewing it here in the browser, you can also navigate directly to YouTube. Join the Facebook Group to discuss the tutorials. You can view the archives here.

To watch now, click on the image below:

If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here.

You can also watch it on YouTube:

Technorati Tags: javascript, jquery, tutorial

James Foster has updated the stuff he presented at the STIC conference last month:

I have consolidated and updated my changes to Cloud Foundry to accomodate GemStone/S 64 Bit and have the changes on github. You can use that code rather than the recent series of posts that are now a bit outdated. I will be making additional updates as I add multi-machine capabilities to reflect some of the things learned in preparing for last month’s STIC presentation. Stay tuned!

Technorati Tags: github, gemstone, cloudfoundry

Never mind the legal hassles Apple is having in Australia over the 4 G thing - the larger issue is that 4G networks around the world are not converging on a standard:

In its grievance, the ACCC has contended that labeling the tablet "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G" in Australia is misleading since the device's flavor of 4G doesn't work in the country. Australia does offer 4G service through its Telstra carrier. But that service operates under an 1800MHz frequency band, according to ZDNet Australia, while the iPad requires 700MHz or 2100MHz frequencies for 4G. Hence, the two are incompatible, leaving Australian 4G iPad buyers stuck at 3G.

There was some hope that going to 4G would "fix" the international standards problem, but apparently not...

Technorati Tags: iphone, 4g

Today's Smalltalk 4 You looks at the Time profiler in VisualWorks. The same tool works in ObjectStudio, even though that's not being shown here. If you have trouble viewing it here in the browser, you can also navigate directly to YouTube. To watch now, click on the image below:

If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here.

You can also watch it on YouTube:

Technorati Tags: smalltalk, visualworks, profiling

There's been a lot written about "the death of retail" lately, but I think this analysis really gets to the heart of the matter:

As people get richer, and goods get cheaper, and consumers become more interested in the total buying experience (all things that Virginia documents) it may be that the appeal of Big Box stores -- whose approach consists of giving you far less service in exchange for lower prices -- may decline, and the appeal of old-fashioned specialty stores, where the salespeople know their products, and their customers, may come back.

Big Box stores are competing with Amazon (et. al.). There's no way to win there; having no retail space and no floor staff will always be cheaper (regardless of what happens with sales tax disputes). If you know what you want, and are willing to forgo service, there's just no need to ever visit a big box store. I think that spells trouble beyond Best Buy; ultimately, I suspect stores like Wal-Mart and Target will have trouble, too.

I wouldn't be surprised to see retail bifurcate into smaller, "high value" shops and online (low price). That doesn't leave a lot of room for the big box outfits.

Technorati Tags: shopping

David Buck has put together a "genetic history" timeline chart for Smalltalk implementations.

When you get there, click on the image for the full size view.

Welcome to episode 73 of Independent Misinterpretations - a Smalltalk and dynamic language oriented podcast with James Robertson and David Buck.

This week Dave and I wrap up talking about the STIC 2012 conference - all that's left now is the wait for the videos. There were a few talks that slipped past us in the last few podcasts - that's what we spoke about here.

You can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or any other podcatching software) using this feed directly or in iTunes with this one.

To listen now, you can either download the mp3 edition, or the AAC edition. The AAC edition comes with chapter markers. You can subscribe to either edition of the podcast directly in iTunes; just search for Smalltalk and look in the Podcast results. You can subscribe to the mp3 edition directly using this feed, or the AAC edition using this feed using any podcatching software. You can also download the podcast in ogg format.

If you like the music we use, please visit Josh Woodward's site. We use the song Troublemaker for our intro/outro music. I'm sure he'd appreciate your support!

If you have feedback, send it to jarober@gmail.com - or visit us on Facebook - you can subscribe in iTunes using this iTunes enabled feed.. If you enjoy the podcast, pass the word - we would love to have more people hear about Smalltalk!

Technorati Tags: smalltalk, stic

Welcome to episode 73 of Independent Misinterpretations - a Smalltalk and dynamic language oriented podcast with James Robertson and David Buck.

This week Dave and I wrap up talking about the STIC 2012 conference - all that's left now is the wait for the videos. There were a few talks that slipped past us in the last few podcasts - that's what we spoke about here.

You can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (or any other podcatching software) using this feed directly or in iTunes with this one.

To listen now, you can either download the mp3 edition, or the AAC edition. The AAC edition comes with chapter markers. You can subscribe to either edition of the podcast directly in iTunes; just search for Smalltalk and look in the Podcast results. You can subscribe to the mp3 edition directly using this feed, or the AAC edition using this feed using any podcatching software. You can also download the podcast in ogg format.

If you like the music we use, please visit Josh Woodward's site. We use the song Troublemaker for our intro/outro music. I'm sure he'd appreciate your support!

If you have feedback, send it to jarober@gmail.com - or visit us on Facebook - you can subscribe in iTunes using this iTunes enabled feed.. If you enjoy the podcast, pass the word - we would love to have more people hear about Smalltalk!

Technorati Tags: smalltalk, stic

It's not limited to the US - witness Canada Post:

Canada Post has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Geolytica, which operates GeoCoder.ca, a website that provides several geocoding services including free access to a crowdsourced compiled database of Canadian postal codes. Canada Post argues that it is the exclusive copyright holder of all Canadian postal codes and claims that GeoCoder appropriated the database and made unauthorized reproductions.

The company in question crowdsourced the postal codes, but either way - how can a set of postal codes be copyrighted? I'll say it again - abolishing copyright completely would be an improvement over what we have now. It's hardly the best solution, but it does tell you just how bad I think things are now...

Looks like there are 13 Smalltalk projects in the Google Summer of Code this year:

Wonderful news, we got 13 "slots" from Google, that is, 13 students and their proposals will be accepted for Google and they will receive stipendiums if they will do their projects right. More exactly, part of 4500 USD immediately, part after interim evaluation and part at successful finish of their projects.

Technorati Tags: google, gsoc

Spotted in Planet Squeak

Hilaire Fernandes is pleased to announce you Dr. Geo release 12.04, based on Pharo 1.4, for GNU/Linux, Windows, Mac OSX and OLPC XO laptop.

You can get all the details and download links here

Technorati Tags: pharo, drgeo

Today's Smalltalk 4 You adds a UI that connects to the timer (non visual) part we created last time. If you have trouble viewing it here in the browser, you can also navigate directly to YouTube. To watch now, click on the image below:

.

If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here.

You can also watch it on YouTube:

Today we'll create a visual part in VA Smalltalk, and hook it up to the non-visual part we created last time. Here's the end result - we'll walk through the steps, taking the connections one by one, from the top of the screen down:

First, how did we add the non-visual part? We used the "add part" menu option in the composition editor, and selected the part by browsing for the name. It appears as a "puzzle piece", since there's no UI. To connect up the #timerFired event to a script, right click on the part, and select "connect". When presented with options, select the script - you'll add a #beep method:

The code for that is as follows:

beep
	CgDisplay default bell: 20

That will simply play a tone when the timer fires - that way we can tell whether our hookups worked. The properties for this look like this:

To get the UI parts on the canvas, simply select them in the toolbar at the top of the window, click on the canvas below, and move them around. To set properties, double click - you'll need to set the input field to be an integer, for instance.

Next, create a connection from the input field to the timer object. Hook up the "Object" (value) attribute of the field to the length attribute of the timer. Now when we enter a value, it will flow to the timer object:

Now create a connection from the checkbox to the repeat attribute (which we set up as a boolean) in the timer. If checked, this will run our timer repeatedly:

Next, we need to hook up the start and stop buttons. Create one connection for each to the timer - hook up "clicked" to the start and stop actions respectively:

Now use the Test menu option. The UI should come up. Enter 1000 (this is milliseconds) in the input field, and then hit the start button. You should get a tone if you have it all set up properly.

That just about wraps it up - version this off in ENVY so you can continue with it later - you've just hooked up your visual and non-visual parts in VA Smalltalk.

Need more help? There's a screencast for other topics like this which you may want to watch. Questions? Try the "Chat with James" Google gadget over in the sidebar.

Technorati Tags: smalltalk, va smalltalk, parts