[Etoys] How to distribute amd install MO for Apps

[Bert Freudenberg]

On Nov 14, 2007, at 20:44 , karl wrote:

> Hilaire Fernandes wrote:
>> 2007/11/11, korakurider at yahoo.co.jp <korakurider at yahoo.co.jp>:
>>
>>
>>> I hit fundamental question: how to distribute and install addon
>>> application with translation.
>>>
>>
>> Yes, you got a point.
>> Which features do we need ?
>>
>> - a Squeak application should be installable at runtime, without
>> modifying the image
>> - a project using a loaded application should re-load the application
>> - application translation should be reloadable at runtime aswel.
>>
>> I have tested loading DrGeo SAR into the OLPC. In my opinion it is  
>> too
>> slow and I am afraid teachers and kids will run away. Imagine a
>> situation where a kid need to review sever interactive geometric
>> sketch. We will have an acceptability problem there.
>>
>> I have heard about ImageSegment, I only got an overall understanding
>> about it but I have the felling it may be the fastest solution.
> Projects are saved in image segments, but code changes are not  
> captured in the segment so those are filed in from a changeset.  
> This is quite slow.

Loading an ImageSegment is indeed extremely fast. Even classes and  
compiled methods can be included in a segment. The problem is that  
after loading the segment, references ("outpointers") have to be  
fixed up - for example, all symbols must be made to point to the  
symbol instance in the image, otherwise you would have duplicate  
symbols. And we accumulated a lot of cruft over the years that is  
performed on project load time - fixing up fonts, migrating instances  
to new class layout etc. Working this out would be very valuable.

- Bert -