From:	CSBVAX::CSBVAX::MRGATE::"SMTP::CRVAX.SRI.COM::RELAY-INFO-VAX" 23-JAN-1989 14:27
To:	MRGATE::"ARISIA::EVERHART"
Subj:	Smalltalk for VMS


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Date: Sun, 22 Jan 89 18:35 EST
From: "Eliot Moss, GRC A351B, x5-4206  22-Jan-1989 1832" <MOSS@cs.umass.EDU>
Subject: Smalltalk for VMS
To: info-vax@kl.sri.COM
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I posted some information on this a while ago, which I will repeat briefly
here. My research group at UMass has Smalltalk running on VMS VaxStations.
It is implemented in C running on VMS under UIS (VWS); it should have no
problem coming up under VMS 5.0 (we are running 4.x) -- we do not use any
weird features. An Ultrix version as well as a DECWindows version are on the
way. The system is not quite complete (needs image saving, file I/O, and
garbage collection improvements). Current performance is not outstanding,
but quite usable on a 3500, tolerable on a 2000.

Down side -- we use the Parc Place Systems image and have not yet completed
arrangements for licensing, though we're working on it. Expect to pay about
whatever you would pay Parc Place for their system on a comparable machine
(e.g., Sun workstation). We have no notion yet of any impediments to
distribution outside the US. We also have no notion of what license terms,
if any, might be available to other than educational institutions. No
support. We are not yet geared to distribute anything, even if we had a
licensing arrangement.

Up side -- our goals include transparent access to a reliable, distributed,
persistent object store (an actual goal of our research), and the
possibility of multi-user, distributed Smalltalk (as a demonstration of
distributed cooperative processing using the store).

Alternatives -- Parc Place will probably have a Vax offering eventually. I
have heard rumors that Digitalk has SMalltalk/V for the Vax now or soon (it
is about the same language, but not exactly the same toolset). Finally,
maybe someone else will do what we did ....

				Prof. Eliot Moss
				Dept. of Comp. and Info. Sci.
				Univ. of Mass.
				Amherst, MA 01003
				moss@cs.umass.edu
				(413) 545-4206