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Re: A question

Michael T. Richter <mtr@ottawa.com> wrote in message
news:orMe4.418$yO2.447@198.235.216.4...

Someone crossposted you to comp.lang.smalltalk, so here we go:

> Over and above this embedding of other languages (through external C
> libraries), I also have the capacity to use COM and CORBA interfaces
> provided by third-party vendors, a capacity which I routinely use.

Ditto in Smalltalk. Me too, except I don't use CORBA.

>  This
> means I can use my Dylan software to drive word processors, spreadsheets,
> databases, etc.

Great. Ditto in Smalltalk.

>  Indeed I can, using either ODBC or the COM database API,
> back-end any of my applications with any database which provides an ODBC
or
> COM-DB service provider -- most DBMS systems, in other words.

Cool. Ditto in Smalltalk.

> I've never seen a Smalltalk environment which didn't basically assume that
> the outside world doesn't exist.

Perhaps you just never looked at the "extras" which are provided, but don't
load automatically unless you decide to use them. Should have read the
manual.

>  Most have some kind of mechanism for
> specifying interaction with the outside world, but ultimately they're so
> painful to use and so difficult to hammer into shape that it isn't worth
> even starting.

You got COM. I got COM. COM is painful to use. Is your COM somehow
better than mine? Microsoft give you access to those hidden APIs?
You want easy COM, use VB. Otherwise, suffer along with the rest of us.

> This means that, ultimately, whatever services your
> Smalltalk environment provides are the *only* services you can reasonably
> use.

Such as building your own if need be. Such as writing your own DLLs then
linking to them. Off-the-shelf stuff. I've never had a use for it, but its
in the
manual.

> You need to interface with a particular database vendor's product?
> Tough.  They only provide an ODBC/OLEDB interface.

I feel like the Avis ad. Not exactly. You show me which DBMSs you
have native access to you and I'll show you mine.

>  You want to embed a
> powerful textual pattern matching library in your application?  Oh well,
> you'll have to hack one up yourself.

And you have a great set of text manipulation tools to hack with. If you
want
one prebuilt, I'm sure someone on cls would be happy to share their code.

> You want to use a huge, extremely fast
> graphics library?

Care to get specific here? What are you talking about?

> You know the drill already.

Well you appear to have two left feet.

> You might as well just give
> up.

I've heard a lot of great stuff about Dylan. Michael, you appear to be
clueless
about Smalltalk. If anyone wants to learn the truth, stop by
comp.lang.smalltalk.
Otherwise, carry on. Sorry for barging in, but you have to stop
misinformation
when it starts.
References: