Newsgroups: comp.lang.java;,comp.lang.smalltalk
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From: johnk@spasm.niddk.nih.gov (John Kuszewski)
Subject: Re: Java or Smalltalk ??
Message-ID: <1996Apr4.155754.24020@alw.nih.gov>
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Reply-To: johnk@spasm.niddk.nih.gov (John Kuszewski)
Organization: National Insts. of Health
References:  <316340B6.5E7E@primenet.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 15:57:54 GMT
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In article <316340B6.5E7E@primenet.com>, Klaus Schnurr <kschnurr@primenet.com> writes:
|> Hi,
|> 
|> I am in a difficult situation in deciding which OO language to choose. I 
|> have C++ experience, however I feel like to develop my upcoming 
|> client-server application in a different language. The OO language 
|> should meet following requirements:
|> 
|> * secure the future development efforts -- strategic choice (which OO 
|> language will make it in the future ??)

That's not certain.  Java has a lot of hype right now. 

|> * WWW interface

Obviously, Java has this available.  However, there are some
cute Smalltalk products (such as VisualWave from ParcPlace-Digitalk,
which is an addon to their VisualWorks Smalltalk environment)
that can do very nice WWW stuff very easily.

|> * multiple inherentence

I'm not sure about Java, but most Smalltalk systems are 
single-inheiritance.  There is at least one addon product
for VisualWorks that offers MI.  That said, most people
with experience in Smalltalk strongly prefer single inheiritance.

|> * database connectivity build in (or ODBC drivers available)

Available with several Smalltalk environments, but not yet 
available for Java.

|> * support development of GUI front-ends which can be ported from X to 
|> Windows 95/NT.

The only GUI that current Java environments support is the WWW's
CGI.  There are Smalltalk environments that support just about
everything under the sun.

|> * development environement supports multiple platforms (LINUX, HP-UX, 
|> Windows95).

There are Java environments on many machines, and there are Smalltalk
environments for even more.

|> * and more

Like what?  I think the syntax of Java is nasty, and that matters
to me.  Smalltalk's syntax is simple, elegant, and expressive.

|> 
|> Can anybody tell me, based on your vast experience, which language I 
|> should choose and what other aspects I should consider in making the 
|> decision?

No one is building mission-critical custom apps in Java.  If you
want to do that, use Smalltalk (or perhaps Objective-C within 
NeXT's environment).  If you want to make your WWW pages look
flashy to people who use Netscape, use Java.

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John Kuszewski                     ||  |/  /|  ||      
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