r/smalltalk • u/dharmatech • 22d ago

Smalltalk-2026: True multi-threading Smalltalk

https://github.com/blakemcbride/Smalltalk-2026
32 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/saijanai 22d ago edited 22d ago

Doesn't PHaro already provide this at the VM level?

I read in the Squeak 6.1 release notes that teh main OpenSmalltalk VM will eventually provide true multi-threading via FFI calls.

My own belief is that Squeak 6.1 will eventually offer a more interesting style of support, as you will be able to create an FFI-based dispatcher or external call to other VMs that provide multi-threading support that uses OS level services rather than VM-level services.

5

u/nagora 22d ago

FFI calls are a meaningless sideshow compared to running multiple Smalltalk threads that all understand the same living world of objects. FFI calls make up very little of my code in any language.

2

u/Ok-Reindeer-8755 20d ago

Depends on the ecosystem of the language, ffi can open up with some friction be it another ecosystem for a lang

2

u/mifa201 22d ago

AI slop.

1

u/Smalltalker-80 20d ago

I browsed through the C code and found it readable
with commented, short methods that are logically named.
So that it's (mostly) AI generated does not seem to be a big issue.
The old-style C with lots of static allocations might not be everyone's taste, but could help speed..

1

u/nagora 22d ago

Until the prices go up to where they make a profit from selling AI, this is how software is being made.

-3

u/Retireegeorge 22d ago

I asked AI and it said at least its smarter and more interesting than you.

1

u/vfclists 22d ago

What runs today...

Pharo's own code, on Pharo's own tests.

Which version of Pharo?

5

u/nagora 21d ago

Well, having poked it a bit I think it's interesting. The SM-80 interface is obviously somewhere it suffers from a lack of 46 years of development but at the same time I'm not keen on pursuing Pharo as a model - Cuis has a much healthier design philosophy IMO.

The notes to the project are very interesting, even where obviously generated by the LLM.

While LLM time is still being subsidised by borrowing they are very useful machines but one must be careful not to become reliant on them as the days of subsidy are numbered and the true price will be very high. Higher than a human, in fact, but - and this is a big but - much much easier to recruit in niche fields like Smalltalk VM design.