Smalltalk Digest: February Edition
Welcome to the February 2020 edition of the Cincom Smalltalk™ Digest. In this valuable edition, we will talk about the following:
CUSTOMERS and PARTNERS
- What Is the Cincom Smalltalk Developer Program?
- Have You Entered the Cincom Discovery Zone?
- What Is the Cincom Smalltalk Resolutions Newsletter and Why Is It a Valuable Tool for Customers?
NEWBIES, FREELANCERS and DEVELOPERS
- How Can Cincom Smalltalk Help You Pursue Your Dream?
- What Is LargeArray, and How Might It Be Useful for Developers?
- Ever Hear of the BucketDictionary?
- What Networking Opportunities Are Coming Up in 2020?
- How Does Cincom Promote Smalltalk Events, Conferences and Meetups for the Smalltalk Community?
- FAQ of the Month: “How Do I Install Cincom Smalltalk on Linux?”
- Popular Product Resources
ACADEMIA
- Who Should Use the Academic Personal Use License Version of Cincom Smalltalk?
- Using Cincom Smalltalk, Penn State Successfully Created Web-Based Access for Students, without Losing Legacy System Investments
Snippets for these articles can be found below:
CUSTOMERS and PARTNERS
What Is the Cincom Smalltalk Developer Program?
This month, we want to highlight an extremely valuable program: The Cincom Smalltalk Developer Program.
The object of the Cincom Smalltalk Developer Program (CSDP) is to create an environment that allows Cincom Smalltalk customers and partners to participate in the ongoing development of the Cincom Smalltalk system.
Here are the specific benefits to participating developers:
- Access to all internal builds (via FTP)
- Access to an ftp-based update mechanism for contributions
- A subscription to the vw-dev and/or ost-dev engineering mailing list
- Access to “works in progress”
- Access to various product updates
- A voice in the direction of ongoing product development
To qualify for the program, a user must be an active Cincom Smalltalk customer or partner, and they need to complete the Cincom Smalltalk Developer Program Non-Disclosure Agreement. Once an active customer or partner is approved into the program, membership to the CSDP gives developers access to ongoing builds of Cincom Smalltalk. Members will also start receiving the DevProgram emails and the opportunity to comment and share questions and comments regarding the in-progress builds.
- Interested? Click here to begin the process.
Have You Entered the Cincom Discovery Zone?
We had such a good response to our introduction to the Cincom Smalltalk Customer Discovery Zone last month, that we wanted to highlight it again this month.
Making our customers and partners successful is our number one priority, and our Services team has decades of experience in discovering and maximizing productivity. We have the knowledge and creativity to discover opportunities for growth, productivity and added value in your application and business.
Here are some of the ways we can help you find new potential in your application:
- Product Upgrades
- Mentoring
- Troubleshooting
- Performance Enhancement
- Migrations
- Proof of Concept
Interested? See more details, and learn how to get started discovering the hidden value waiting to be found here.
What Is the Cincom Smalltalk Resolutions Newsletter and Why Is It a Valuable Tool for Customers?
The Resolutions Newsletter is another benefit of being a Cincom Smalltalk customer and was created to be a useful tool in making it easier to do business with Cincom. In this monthly newsletter, customers will find things like:
- The latest Hidden Gems screencast
- Featured Cincom Smalltalk programs
- Upcoming activities and Smalltalk events
However, the most important reason we publish the Resolutions Newsletter is to let customers know what’s going on with the product and what fixes are now available to them for the current release and past versions of Cincom Smalltalk that are still supported.
If you are a current Cincom Smalltalk customer and are interested in receiving the Resolutions Newsletter, simply fill out the form on this page. Be sure to include your customer number, as only current Cincom Smalltalk customers have access to the Resolutions email.
Hear more about the Resolutions Newsletter from Kimberly Thomas, the Director, Global Product Support, here.
NEWBIES, FREELANCERS and DEVELOPERS
How Can Cincom Smalltalk Help You Pursue Your Dream?
Recently, we celebrated President Ronald Reagan’s birthday by sharing a moment in August of 1984 where President Ronald Reagan sited Tom Nies as the epitome of American entrepreneurial spirit in business. President Reagan recognized Mr. Nies as a man who had a vision, recognized a need and filled an empty space that needed to be filled. Tom Nies followed his dream―a dream he called “The impossible dream”―and made the impossible possible through the growth and development of Cincom Systems, Inc.
Maybe you are like Tom Nies and have that entrepreneurial spirit and ability to see an empty space that needs to be filled. Are you are looking for an opportunity to pursue a dream? Mr. Nies started Cincom Systems, Inc. on a card table in his garage with just $600 and grew it into a thriving software company that has impacted so many people over the last 50 years!
You can start your dream TODAY for just $500!
How, you ask? By putting your dreams on your own “card table” and enrolling in the Cincom Smalltalk REV Program.
We’ve seen a steady increase of both new and frequent users take advantage of this Cincom Smalltalk program that allows them to start their businesses with Cincom by their side. Now it’s your turn!
Maybe you aren’t a Cincom Smalltalk customer but you want to take advantage of the many benefits that come with being a Cincom customer. What do you do?
Step One: Watch This Video
Listen to Suzanne Fortman, the Cincom Smalltalk Program Director and Engineering Manager, explain the benefits of the Cincom Smalltalk REV Program here:
Since starting this program, we’ve been able to assist many Smalltalk users as they learn:
- How to understand their markets
- How to reach their audiences
- How to present to their prospects
- How to sell their applications
- How to promote their applications
… and so much more.
The REV program is the best opportunity for you to take your hobby to the next level, believe in yourself and your programming skills and create your own business. We’ve created this program for you to easily become a Cincom Smalltalk customer where you will receive these benefits:
- The full product
- Full support for the product
- An opportunity to join the Developer Program to get early beta releases of our product to see where we are taking it and comment to help us build out the future of commercial Smalltalk
- An opportunity to join the Partner Promotion Program to promote your application, help you develop the right markets or find the right space to promote what you have been working on
Step Two: Go Join
This quick, easy way to partner with us and grow your business only costs $500 and is a great investment that could pay big dividends as you grow your business.
Don’t let another day go by.
Let’s grow your business together and take your passion to the next level.
What Is LargeArray and How Might It Be Useful for Developers?
The purpose of the Hidden Gems Screencast is to give developers who use Cincom Smalltalk some valuable insight into the useful abilities of the products that may not be obvious. This Hidden Gems is about Special Collections – LargeArray.
In the past, we talked about new collections like Treap. In this Hidden Gems screencast, we will discuss LargeArray―a collection you may have never heard of.
LargeArray is a special and specific type of collection, and we will discuss:
- How to use it
- Where it might be useful
- Advantages and tradeoffs
Watch this NEW Hidden Gems screencast below or click here.
Ever Hear of the BucketDictionary?
BucketDictionary is a special collection exclusively available to Cincom Smalltalk customers and partners.
Find out about where, when and why you might want to use it in this Hidden Gems bonus.
Watch this BONUS Hidden Gems screencast below or click here.
What Networking Opportunities Are Coming Up in 2020?
There are several events coming up where you can meet with Smalltalkers and programmers from around the world. These networking and learning opportunities include:
- February 19-21, 2020 DevNexus (Atlanta, Georgia)
- March 23-26, 2020 — ‹Programming› 2020 (Porto, Portugal)
- March 30-April 3, 2020 — The 35th ACM/SIGAPP Symposium On Applied Computing (Brno, Czech Republic)
- April 29-May 1, 2020 — deliver:Agile 2020 (Columbus, Ohio)
How Does Cincom Promote Smalltalk Events, Conferences and Meetups for the Smalltalk Community?
We are always happy to promote Smalltalk events around the world. These events help strengthen the Smalltalk community and provide opportunities for Smalltalkers to work together and think of new ideas. So, if you have an event that other Smalltalkers might gain value from, we’d love to help draw attention to it.
If this interests you, there are a few ways we can help you. First, we have created a mini-survey with a few questions for you to answer. Simply complete this brief questionnaire, and we’ll begin to create your promotion right away.
- Click here to begin your free event promotion.
Or, you can reach out to Jeremy Jordan, the Sr. Marketing Director for Cincom Smalltalk, at:
- Direct Message: twitter.com/smalltalkmktg | facebook.com/cincomsmalltalk
- Email: jjordan@cincom.com
FAQ of the Month: “How Do I Install Cincom Smalltalk on Linux?”
We are often asked about tutorials and other training available for learning Smalltalk and Cincom Smalltalk. In our FAQ section, we provide this simple answer:
Linux Installation Tips
- On Linux x86/x86_64 on Cincom VisualWorks 8.3 PUL, the VMs are not installed in a typical install. They can be installed by choosing them manually on a custom install.
- Before installation with custom install, it should say “Components to Install.”
- Scroll down to the bottom, and select VM Linux ….x86.
Linux Font Tips
- Install the contributed XFT and XFT-integration parcels shipped with the product. Based on feedback, this is the best current solution for fonts on Linux.
- The parcels can be found in the contributed directory.
- You can load these parcels from the launcher menu: System -> Load Parcel named, then type in xft and select. Use Ctrl select for multiple parcels.
For other frequently asked questions, visit our FAQs section where we answer “How do I…?” and other questions here.
Popular Product Resources
Maybe you are new to Cincom Smalltalk or just need help finding something specific on our website. We’re taking advantage of the new year and new trends, and you’ll begin to see website updates if you haven’t already.
Here’s a quick guide to the popular resources we currently have available on our website:
- Download Center
- Common Tools Tutorials
- Cincom® ObjectStudio® Tutorials
- Cincom® VisualWorks® Tutorials
- Cincom Smalltalk Presentations
- Cincom Smalltalk Videos
- Public Store Repository
- Contributed Components
- Reserved NameSpaces
ACADEMIA
Who Should Use the Academic Personal Use License Version of Cincom Smalltalk?
Our software is free for students and professors to use personally for their studies or class projects, but does require a form to be filled out to receive the link to download it. If you (or another classmate) would like to use our software for personal academic use, we have it available to you.
To learn about the Cincom Smalltalk Academic Personal Use License (APUL):
- Read this article.
- Watch this short video of Suzanne Fortman.
Using Cincom Smalltalk, Penn State Successfully Created Web-Based Access for Students, without Losing Legacy System Investments
The same powerful tools that add value and simplicity to application developers in one-man shops to Fortune 500 companies can do the same for institutions of higher learning. Discover how Penn State University takes advantage of Cincom Smalltalk versatility and simplifies secure data access and AI-based advising systems for students and staff using new and legacy systems:
Penn State University, with 24 campuses and 80,000 students, wanted to make its huge storehouse of information readily available to students, faculty and staff. First-generation web applications were mainly designed as stand-alone systems, and simply combining legacy mainframe systems with client-server functions quickly crashed key business applications during heavy usage.
Penn State undertook a massive internet development project designed to give students and staff direct access to its wealth of institutional information. Dubbed eLion, the new system would deliver a custom search engine, a hypertext listing of suggested academic and advising references, open access to student information systems, an artificial intelligence-based advising service and a variety of support services for faculty, staff and students.
With Cincom Smalltalk, PSU developers rapidly created a three-tiered system that reused components. Functions could be written once and placed on servers accessible by all applications, thus saving labor and equipment costs. It also meant that the system could be readily expanded, legacy mainframes linked to data access and password-protected and authenticated.
To learn more, click here.