Jecel Assumpcao Jr wrote:
In another message in this thread you mentioned the story that Java was started only because Sun couldn't get a reasonable license from Parcplace. I have heard this a few times before but don't believe it - Sun had a good Smalltalk for free in the form of Self and it would have been easier for them to reshape that to their needs if they had seriously considered going in that direction.
Sun has definitely made some sad decisions.
Strongtalk, Self, Tcl/Tk, ...
I would have rather had a better performing, bytecode compiled, vm based, standardized OO Tcl with a modernized Tk than what Java is. And it would have cost them less, IMO.
I would have thought improving Strongtalk would have been a whole lot less expensive that all the Java machinations.
Self, hmm. Don't really know enough about Self. But I bet Sun could have done something better for less.
What a legacy.
Oh well. :(
Jimmie