Like many here, I've always been a language buff -- programming in assmebly, C(++), Java, various Lisps, Prolog, O'Caml/F#/Hask, etc. - and a fan of Smalltalk. (Used Tektronix ST and Smalltalk-V, but never Pharo.)
One thing that AI programming has done is made me care much less what programming language is being used. This is slightly regrettable, but for the most part very freeing, as I don't need to worry about what language is easier for me (as a human) to use for a particular problem, or make me inclined to use one of my "pet" programming languages over one that may be a better fit for more pedestrian reasons.
Do the advances mean anything though? Alan Kay is a personal hero, I love the aesthetic of Smalltalk, and the dream-that-was once upon a time of such a system was a real missed opportunity for the evolution of programming environments. But is it anything more than a neat hobby at this point?
Like many here, I've always been a language buff -- programming in assmebly, C(++), Java, various Lisps, Prolog, O'Caml/F#/Hask, etc. - and a fan of Smalltalk. (Used Tektronix ST and Smalltalk-V, but never Pharo.)
One thing that AI programming has done is made me care much less what programming language is being used. This is slightly regrettable, but for the most part very freeing, as I don't need to worry about what language is easier for me (as a human) to use for a particular problem, or make me inclined to use one of my "pet" programming languages over one that may be a better fit for more pedestrian reasons.
It's like a protestant Smalltalk!
(Smalltalk is a religion, I will die on this hill!)
[delayed]
Niva is a Smalltalk-like language with static types:
https://github.com/gavr123456789/Niva
An implementation of Boids for Niva:
https://github.com/dharmatech/boids-niva
Reading stuff like this continue to make advances and new releases is like a fever dream when everything else is all AI.
Do the advances mean anything though? Alan Kay is a personal hero, I love the aesthetic of Smalltalk, and the dream-that-was once upon a time of such a system was a real missed opportunity for the evolution of programming environments. But is it anything more than a neat hobby at this point?
Pharo with a GTK4+Libadwaita adapted IDE:
https://github.com/pharo-pulsar/pulsar
Almost "Pharo for Gnome".
The fact that the page says that this version was made by "more than [X] contributors" makes me think that maybe they don't have enough contributors?