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From: Stephan Meyn <s.meyn@oose.com.au>
Subject: Re: How good is Smalltalk?
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Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 03:30:27 GMT
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SWDEV wrote:
> 
> I work for a life assurance company that is currently using Borland
> C++ to produce quotation programs for Windows. The trouble is that the
> company launches several new products each year, which means that
> quotation programs have to be written or modified for new  each
> product.
> 
> It seems that a significant amount of time is being spent in getting
> to grips with the intricacies and complexities of C++ and memory
> management rather than application design.
> 
> How could Smalltalk help me???

This is a typical situation where Smalltalk is used to advantage. Wherever you need to 
be able to update the application repetitively over a small period, you will find that 
Smalltalk provides an economic advantage.

You will find:
- that you can spend more time thinking on application than on technical issues
- a very small language which is easy to learn by many
- a large and very mature class library which is very versatile 
  (but it does take some time to learn).
- the developers, once trained in Smalltalk will find they can 
   get back into it easier than into a comparable C++ system
- modifications can be implemented faster because the interactive system 
  allows preciser unit testing

The downsides are more in the area of the hardware you need (some Smalltalks require 
considerably heftier CPU and memory resources).
You will also spend a fair bit on the learning curve. But this is a one off investment.

Stephan
