Newsgroups: comp.lang.smalltalk
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From: "James A. (Jim) Sawyer" <jas@cruzio.com>
Subject: Re: Compilers
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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 05:43:27 GMT
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In response to Alan Lovejoy's writing:

> 
> >> Is there any easy way to learn smalltalk with some programming
> >> experience?
> 
> >Yes, previous programming experience is an obstacle than can 
> >eventually be overcome with sufficient time and effort :-).
> 
> >Those without any previous programming experience just need a tutor,
> >and an aptitude for abstract thought. 

Ralph Johnson wrote:

> This is completely wrong.  Maybe people who have spent 20 years in
> one language have trouble changing, but I have taught a lot of experienced
> programmers Smalltalk.  People who already know a bunch of languages
> can learn Smalltalk quickly.  I've got a five week Summer Smalltalk
> School that specializes in turning experienced consultants (especially
> C programmers) into useful Smalltalk programmers.  Three of them are
> here at Smalltalk Solutions, one of whom (from the summer of '95) is
> a speaker. Chamond Liu had a paper at OOPSLA some years ago where he
> showed that the wider your experience, the better, as far as learning
> Smalltalk is concerned.

I wish I'd had the benefit of your course, Ralph.
Even then, I'd probably agree with Alan (smiley's
not withstanding).  I've acquired fluency in well 
over a dozen languages in my 20+ years, achieving
competence in most of them with a couple weeks of 
self study.  Granted, fluency takes a bit longer,
but a month of intensive study can often suffice.

Not so Smalltalk!  One ten week course and a year
of intensive study, and I'm perhaps a bit farther
than merely competent, but fluency will take even
longer ;-).  I would certainly agree that breadth
of experience enhances ones ability both to learn
and to appreciate Smalltalk, justification aside.

Cheers,

-jim [exspecially C programmer, now just a bigot]

