From: Peter Suk <peter.kwangjun.suk@...>
Date: 2005-04-08T18:33:18+09:00
Subject: Re: Seven new VMs, all in a row


On Apr 8, 2005, at 3:39 AM, George wrote:

> I'm curious - how good a fit are Ruby semantics for Smalltalk VMs? Do
> Smalltalk VMs/bytecode provide the following Ruby facilities, and, if
> not, how easily can they be emulated?
>
> - blocks (with Ruby semantics in case they're different from
> Smalltalk's)
> - mixins
> - instance variables that don't need to be predeclared with the class
> - class variables & constants
> - throw/catch
> - exceptions
> - continuations
> - support for OS facilities like select, signals etc

I still have to look into continuations and OS facilities in detail.  
(Pointers to where these are described in detail for Ruby?)  However I 
believe continuations are supported for Smalltalk exceptions.  Mixins 
will be supported by the Compiler manipulating Single Inheritance when 
Classes are defined.  But as for everything else:

> - blocks (with Ruby semantics in case they're different from
> Smalltalk's)

Almost the same as Smalltalk's.

> - instance variables that don't need to be predeclared with the class

Can be added dynamically in Smalltalk.

> - class variables & constants

Check.

> - throw/catch

Really the same as below.

> - exceptions

Check.

 From now on, if you are completely ignorant of Smalltalk, I will cease 
answering these questions here.

--Peter


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