Newsgroups: comp.lang.smalltalk
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From: Chuck Hinkle <clhinkle@shellus.com>
Subject: Re: Advantages of Smalltalk over Java
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Date: Tue, 20 Feb 1996 13:27:33 GMT
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bowen.richard.rw@bhp.com.au wrote:
>I was looking to learn Smalltalk, but I'm thinking of learning 
>Java instead.  
>
>Apart from developing environments and class libraries, what are 
>the differences between Smalltalk and Java?  I don't know either 
>very well, but from here they both seem very similar.  Given the 
>immediate widespread acceptance of Java, will it kill Smalltalk?
>
>Richard


Speaking as Smalltalk wannabe who has also read the Java Language Spec (so 
this makes me as far away from as expert as possible), I doubt that it 
will kill Smalltalk. Practically speaking, when was the last time you 
heard of a language dying? FORTRAN and ALGOL are still around. BASIC made 
a comeback. Even languages that deserve to die (which will remain nameless 
but whose initials are COBOL ;> ) are hanging on!

Seriously, it really is too early to assess the Java-Smalltalk competition 
(and why not also ask if Java will kill C++ and VB?).


chuck hinkle
Shell Services Co.

"Perception is usually more persuasive than reality."


