What to use as the basis of Squeak 4.0?

Several options have been proposed as the base of Squeak 4.0. This document lists them, and their relative merits

Pavel's KernelImage, based on Squeak 3.10

Merits:

• It exists and is usable
• It provides a smaller base to audit from all other options beside Spoon

Issues:

• Being derived from Squeak 3.10, it includes contributions made after November 2006, which are not license-clean

Contriversies:

• It includes Traits
• Uses Monticello files in the update stream

Spoon

Merits:

• It has a tiny code base, making auditing and rewriting a much smaller task than with other options
• It is not unlikely that the copyright for the entire system belongs to Craig Latta alone, and could be relicensed merely by him saying so.
• It has a module/history system (naiad) that:
  • Incorperates real legal advice on managing and tracking license information associatde with methods, which would help an audit and rewrite tremendously
  • Deals moer effectively with international development than the existing squeak tools

Issues:

• Spoon and naiad will not be availible until the solstice (20 June 2008)
• The module system has no UI
• Spoon is new and not as stable as other squeak releases
• Spoon is a new system and some code from contemporary squeak releases will not work on it

Controversies

• Naiad provides features for Namspace-like behavior
• Spoon needs new VM features

A KernelImage derived from 3.9 final

Merits:

• Nearly all contributions were made before November 2006 (only updates 7151-7159 are rejected if ftp modification date of the update is the correct date to judge from
• Issues:
• This KernleImage does not exist, nor are there plans to create it
• It is not clear where in the release the license for contributions becomes unclear
• Bugs fixed in 3.9.1 or 3.10 are not fixed in 3.9

Controversies:

• Includes Traits
• Uses Monticello files in the update stream

A KernelImage derived from 3.8.1

Merits:

• All contributions were made long before November 2006
• All controversial features of 3.9 and above (traits and MC in the update stream) are not present in 3.8.1
• 3.8 is the basis of most of the squeak forks (definitely Squeakland and Etoys; possibly Croquet and Sophie as well)

Issues:

• This KernleImage does not exist, nor are there plans to create it
• Bugs fixed in 3.9, 3.10, 3.8.2, or 3.9.1 are not fixed in 3.8.1

Controversies:

• None I can think of