mirror of
https://github.com/gnustep/libs-steptalk.git
synced 2025-02-14 15:40:56 +00:00
e9f6000dee
git-svn-id: svn+ssh://svn.gna.org/svn/gnustep/libs/steptalk/trunk@19437 72102866-910b-0410-8b05-ffd578937521
104 lines
3.7 KiB
Text
104 lines
3.7 KiB
Text
Dear all, users and developers...
|
|
|
|
This text describes my intentions and wishes for StepTalk.
|
|
|
|
Author: Stefan Urbanek
|
|
|
|
E-Mail: google the name for contact
|
|
Home : http://stefan.agentfarms.net
|
|
|
|
Content:
|
|
|
|
What is the goal of StepTalk?
|
|
Language and Interaction
|
|
The Framework
|
|
|
|
What is the goal of StepTalk?
|
|
-----------------------------
|
|
|
|
StepTalk was meant to be an 'distributed object glue' or 'application
|
|
glue'. The primary intention was to create a framework that will allow
|
|
users to join functionalities of different applications (or distributed
|
|
objects) to complete desired tasks. It should allow users to 'talk' to
|
|
their applications with some language that is understandable to both - to
|
|
the user and to the application.
|
|
|
|
Another intention was to allow users to extend applications with
|
|
functionality they miss, or want to automatize, or want to do in a batch.
|
|
|
|
StepTalk is a framework that wants to fill the gap between application
|
|
author and users with their needs. It wants to provide a feel of single
|
|
common object universe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Language and Interaction
|
|
------------------------
|
|
|
|
StepTalk is rather language abstraction than a (scripting) language. The
|
|
idea of abstraction is, that users and developers are dealing with an
|
|
universe of interacting objects. It is based on two basic principles:
|
|
|
|
1. Every thing is an object
|
|
2. Objects are communicating by sending messages
|
|
|
|
"Objects are 'nouns' and messages are 'verbs' of a language. ", to add a
|
|
famous quote.
|
|
|
|
Nouns in a (scripting) language are objects with name. That name usually
|
|
depends on the context it is present or it should be globally well known
|
|
object.
|
|
|
|
Now, why I have chosen Smalltalk as default language? Because ...
|
|
|
|
"In essence, Smalltalk is a programming language focused on human
|
|
beings rather than the computer." - Alan Kinght
|
|
|
|
I do not say, that it is the best language, but it is more understandable
|
|
by users than other, usual, programming languages. Nevertheless, that does
|
|
not mean, that some day there will not be other language.
|
|
|
|
The Framework
|
|
-------------
|
|
(this part is for mainly for developers and curious users)
|
|
|
|
This part will be something more concrete and will describe desired
|
|
concepts and their StepTalk objects.
|
|
|
|
Language - STLanguage provides language information and execution
|
|
mechanisms.
|
|
|
|
Language context - is represented by STEnvironment. Maybe not very good
|
|
name and it should be changed to STContext rather. Context defines
|
|
names for concrete objects and defines mappings of verbs (selectors).
|
|
|
|
Nouns - Objects with names. Some names should refer no non-concrete
|
|
objects. The meaning of such names is provided by object finders, which
|
|
will assign concrete object to that name, when requested.
|
|
|
|
Script - Just plain NSString.
|
|
|
|
Script execution - Concrete subclasses of STEngine will execute a script
|
|
written in specific language. Engines should refer to the language
|
|
context to find out the objects behind names refered by users and
|
|
provided by developers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Future
|
|
------
|
|
|
|
What needs to be done?
|
|
- make it be real object glue that will join functionalities of different
|
|
applications
|
|
- provide 'script objects' where one can create an object, define its
|
|
behaviour with 'script methods' in any language. Make it similar to
|
|
prototype based language - Self. (Google for: self language)
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
----------
|
|
|
|
I had no time to achieve this goal by implementing all I wanted and in the
|
|
way I wanted. Please, keep it simple and make the interface focused on
|
|
users.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Any further comments, questions and suggestions are welcome.
|