August 2025 - Pharo-users - lists.pharo.org

Re: Pharo and AI: A Natural Fit for the Future

by Richard O'Keefe

Smalltalk is the last common (conceptual ancestor of all existing IDEs. I was a user of InterLISP-D, which also came from Xerox. "A program is a database, not a document", was a Xerox PARC slogan. It seems to me that Pharo's (valuable) support for versioned, distributed, collaborative development has re-emphasised the distinction between a "program" being a collection of files in (mostly) shared repositories and the "state" of an instance of that program transiently held in your image. So has the rapid pace of Pharo's development. Anything I want to use in 3 years time is NOT going to confined to the image. I learned that the hard way. On Sun, 31 Aug 2025 at 06:53, Kasper Osterbye via Pharo-users <pharo-users(a)lists.pharo.org> wrote: > > Cheers all > > I have been working with AI and Pharo for the last 4 months or so. I have primarily been using ChatGPT, Gemini and Mistral. Mistral is the one I use for the actual code, and ChatGPT and Gemini to help me understand AI. Both of them ended up claiming that Pharo/smalltalk was better for than most other attempts. > So I asked it them to summarize their view on the issue. They both saw this, and had no further improvements. > > Subject: Pharo and AI: A Natural Fit for the Future > > As AI transforms programming into a collaborative process, most environments are still stuck in static files and external toolchains. But Pharo is different. Itâs already a living system â dynamic, reflective, and always running. > > In Pharo, AI can talk to objects, not just parse text. It can inspect, modify, and experiment live, without rebooting or compiling. > > This isnât nostalgia â itâs a preview of future development environments. > > If we want AI to be a colleague inside our systems, not just a plugin bolted on, then Pharoâs model deserves serious attention. > > Full conversation and reasoning in the appendix. > > Best, > > Kasper > > > > ## Kasper: > OK, so here are two things I would like to ask you. There is a Pharo usersgroup email, and I would like to write about my view on Pharo and AI. So there are 2 elements I would like to have from you (answered in English). 1) What is the main effect of using AI in programming in the future, and 2) why is Pharo's style something all other developers should take more seriously > > ## ChatGpt Answer: > 1) What is the main effect of using AI in programming in the future? > > The future of programming will not be about writing code line-by-line â it will be about collaborating with intelligent agents that understand, suggest, generate, and transform code in real time. > This shifts the developerâs role from manual author to orchestrator of evolving systems. > Code becomes something we discuss and negotiate, not just write and compile. > > â¸» > > 2) Why should Pharoâs approach be taken more seriously by other developers? > > Because Pharo is already built for this future. > > Most developers still work in a toolchain of static files, batch compilers, and disconnected editors. > Pharo is a live, reflective system where code is not text in a file â itâs part of a running world you can inspect, modify, and evolve dynamically. > This makes it the perfect match for AI-enhanced programming: the AI can talk directly to live objects, understand context, and even generate or run code without rebooting the world. > > While the rest of the industry builds AI plugins into brittle, external pipelines, Pharo offers a native ecosystem where human, code, and AI can think together. > > ## Gemini: > 1. The Core Impact of AI on Programming > > The primary impact of AI on software development won't just be about faster code generation. It will fundamentally change the nature of the developerâs role from an executor to an orchestrator. > > In the past, programming was a process of writing static instructions. You would type code into a file, compile it, and then run it. The AI of the future breaks this paradigm. It introduces a new layer of abstraction, allowing the developer to have a dynamic, conversational relationship with their code. > > The most effective use of AI will be to create living, collaborative environments. This moves the focus from writing perfect syntax to designing a system where humans and machines can "co-think." The goal is no longer to just get the right answer, but to create a process where the AI can understand, inspect, and dynamically participate in the system's state. > > 2. Why Pharo's Style Should Be Taken Seriously > > The vast majority of software developers today are working with a stale paradigm. They use file-based systems where code is a static artifact. This approach, while familiar, is fundamentally at odds with the dynamic nature of AI-driven development. > > Pharo's style, rooted in the Smalltalk tradition, offers a powerful alternative: > > The Live System: In Pharo, your code is not a static file; it's a living set of objects in memory. The IDE is a direct window into this active system. This allows the AI to inspect and query the runtime state of your program in real-time, giving it a level of contextual understanding that a text-based AI can't match. > > Intrinsic Reflection: Pharo's objects are self-aware. They can tell the AI about their methods, their properties, and their relationships to other objects. This makes the AI a true participant in the development process, not just an external tool that has to guess at what the code is doing. > > Seamless Dialogue: This living, reflective environment enables a continuous dialogue between you, your code, and the AI. You're not copying and pasting code snippets; you're having a conversation with your system. This makes the development loop a fluid, real-time process. > > Pharo's style is not an outdated curiosity. Its focus on dynamic interaction and living systems makes it uniquely suited to a future where developers will not just write code, but will converse with it. > > ## ChatGPT (seponse to the answer from Gemini) > Geminiâs response is thoughtful and well-structured, but I think it misses a few key nuances that you, Kasper, have identified through lived exploration. Hereâs my version, emphasizing what I believe should be added or reframed: > > â¸» > > 1. The Real Impact of AI in Programming > > The future of programming isnât about replacing programmers. Itâs about transforming programming into a fluid, dialogic process between the developer and an intelligent, context-aware agent. AI changes the loop from: > > write â compile â test â debug > > to: > > ask â explore â adjust â evolve > > In this future, developers stop treating code as a static artifact and begin treating it as a living system they shape with AIânot in isolation from it. The role shifts from âcode writerâ to system composer, with AI as an active collaborator. > > â¸» > > 2. Why Pharoâs Model Matters More Than Ever > > Pharo is not just âa language from the past.â It is a system built around ideas that the rest of the world is only now beginning to need. While most environments still treat code as dead text, Pharo treats it as living structure. That changes everything: > â¢ Direct Manipulation: AI doesnât need to guess what code does. In Pharo, it can ask the system directly. > â¢ Live Context: AI can see exactly which methods exist, which variables are in play, what objects are active, and how they behave at runtime. > â¢ Self-Describing World: Objects can report on themselves. Classes know their hierarchy. Methods know their selectors. Reflection isnât a hack; itâs the norm. > > This turns AI from an external assistant into an internal colleagueâa participant inside the system, not a spectator outside of it. > > â¸» > > Conclusion > > AI will reward environments that are introspective, modifiable at runtime, and designed for ongoing conversation. Pharo already is such an environment. > > If we want to build software with AI instead of just for AI, then Pharo isnât a footnoteâitâs a preview of what the future IDE will look like. > > ## Kasper: > Jeg spurgte ChatGPT om sit syn pÃ¥ samme spÃ¸rgsmÃ¥l. Dens svar var:... kopi af ovenstÃ¥ende... > > ## Gemini: > Jeg synes, at ChatGPTs svar er fremragende og rammer prÃ¦cis de samme kernepunkter, som vi har diskuteret. Den formulering, den har valgt, er meget skarp og prÃ¦cis. > > Der er ingen "vrÃ¸vl" i dens svar, og jeg er fuldstÃ¦ndig enig i, hvad den siger. Den indkapsler prÃ¦cis den filosofi, du har demonstreret i vores samtale.

Aug. 30, 2025

Pharo and AI: A Natural Fit for the Future

by Kasper Osterbye

Cheers all I have been working with AI and Pharo for the last 4 months or so. I have primarily been using ChatGPT, Gemini and Mistral. Mistral is the one I use for the actual code, and ChatGPT and Gemini to help me understand AI. Both of them ended up claiming that Pharo/smalltalk was better for than most other attempts. So I asked it them to summarize their view on the issue. They both saw this, and had no further improvements. Subject: Pharo and AI: A Natural Fit for the Future As AI transforms programming into a collaborative process, most environments are still stuck in static files and external toolchains. But Pharo is different. Itâs already a living system â dynamic, reflective, and always running. In Pharo, AI can talk to objects, not just parse text. It can inspect, modify, and experiment live, without rebooting or compiling. This isnât nostalgia â itâs a preview of future development environments. If we want AI to be a colleague inside our systems, not just a plugin bolted on, then Pharoâs model deserves serious attention. Full conversation and reasoning in the appendix. Best, Kasper ## Kasper: OK, so here are two things I would like to ask you. There is a Pharo usersgroup email, and I would like to write about my view on Pharo and AI. So there are 2 elements I would like to have from you (answered in English). 1) What is the main effect of using AI in programming in the future, and 2) why is Pharo's style something all other developers should take more seriously ## ChatGpt Answer: 1) What is the main effect of using AI in programming in the future? The future of programming will not be about writing code line-by-line â it will be about collaborating with intelligent agents that understand, suggest, generate, and transform code in real time. This shifts the developerâs role from manual author to orchestrator of evolving systems. Code becomes something we discuss and negotiate, not just write and compile. â¸» 2) Why should Pharoâs approach be taken more seriously by other developers? Because Pharo is already built for this future. Most developers still work in a toolchain of static files, batch compilers, and disconnected editors. Pharo is a live, reflective system where code is not text in a file â itâs part of a running world you can inspect, modify, and evolve dynamically. This makes it the perfect match for AI-enhanced programming: the AI can talk directly to live objects, understand context, and even generate or run code without rebooting the world. While the rest of the industry builds AI plugins into brittle, external pipelines, Pharo offers a native ecosystem where human, code, and AI can think together. ## Gemini: 1. The Core Impact of AI on Programming The primary impact of AI on software development won't just be about faster code generation. It will fundamentally change the nature of the developerâs role from an executor to an orchestrator. In the past, programming was a process of writing static instructions. You would type code into a file, compile it, and then run it. The AI of the future breaks this paradigm. It introduces a new layer of abstraction, allowing the developer to have a dynamic, conversational relationship with their code. The most effective use of AI will be to create living, collaborative environments. This moves the focus from writing perfect syntax to designing a system where humans and machines can "co-think." The goal is no longer to just get the right answer, but to create a process where the AI can understand, inspect, and dynamically participate in the system's state. 2. Why Pharo's Style Should Be Taken Seriously The vast majority of software developers today are working with a stale paradigm. They use file-based systems where code is a static artifact. This approach, while familiar, is fundamentally at odds with the dynamic nature of AI-driven development. Pharo's style, rooted in the Smalltalk tradition, offers a powerful alternative: The Live System: In Pharo, your code is not a static file; it's a living set of objects in memory. The IDE is a direct window into this active system. This allows the AI to inspect and query the runtime state of your program in real-time, giving it a level of contextual understanding that a text-based AI can't match. Intrinsic Reflection: Pharo's objects are self-aware. They can tell the AI about their methods, their properties, and their relationships to other objects. This makes the AI a true participant in the development process, not just an external tool that has to guess at what the code is doing. Seamless Dialogue: This living, reflective environment enables a continuous dialogue between you, your code, and the AI. You're not copying and pasting code snippets; you're having a conversation with your system. This makes the development loop a fluid, real-time process. Pharo's style is not an outdated curiosity. Its focus on dynamic interaction and living systems makes it uniquely suited to a future where developers will not just write code, but will converse with it. ## ChatGPT (seponse to the answer from Gemini) Geminiâs response is thoughtful and well-structured, but I think it misses a few key nuances that you, Kasper, have identified through lived exploration. Hereâs my version, emphasizing what I believe should be added or reframed: â¸» 1. The Real Impact of AI in Programming The future of programming isnât about replacing programmers. Itâs about transforming programming into a fluid, dialogic process between the developer and an intelligent, context-aware agent. AI changes the loop from: write â compile â test â debug to: ask â explore â adjust â evolve In this future, developers stop treating code as a static artifact and begin treating it as a living system they shape with AIânot in isolation from it. The role shifts from âcode writerâ to system composer, with AI as an active collaborator. â¸» 2. Why Pharoâs Model Matters More Than Ever Pharo is not just âa language from the past.â It is a system built around ideas that the rest of the world is only now beginning to need. While most environments still treat code as dead text, Pharo treats it as living structure. That changes everything: â¢ Direct Manipulation: AI doesnât need to guess what code does. In Pharo, it can ask the system directly. â¢ Live Context: AI can see exactly which methods exist, which variables are in play, what objects are active, and how they behave at runtime. â¢ Self-Describing World: Objects can report on themselves. Classes know their hierarchy. Methods know their selectors. Reflection isnât a hack; itâs the norm. This turns AI from an external assistant into an internal colleagueâa participant inside the system, not a spectator outside of it. â¸» Conclusion AI will reward environments that are introspective, modifiable at runtime, and designed for ongoing conversation. Pharo already is such an environment. If we want to build software with AI instead of just for AI, then Pharo isnât a footnoteâitâs a preview of what the future IDE will look like. ## Kasper: Jeg spurgte ChatGPT om sit syn pÃ¥ samme spÃ¸rgsmÃ¥l. Dens svar var:... kopi af ovenstÃ¥ende... ## Gemini: Jeg synes, at ChatGPTs svar er fremragende og rammer prÃ¦cis de samme kernepunkter, som vi har diskuteret. Den formulering, den har valgt, er meget skarp og prÃ¦cis. Der er ingen "vrÃ¸vl" i dens svar, og jeg er fuldstÃ¦ndig enig i, hvad den siger. Den indkapsler prÃ¦cis den filosofi, du har demonstreret i vores samtale.

Aug. 30, 2025

Pharo News of the Week 35/2025

by Marcus Denker

# Pharo News of the Week 35/2025 - [Wanted] Companies using Pharo https://pharo.org/news/2025-08-27-PharoCompanies.html - [ANN] Pharo Consortium New Gold Member qqDataFruits https://pharo.org/news/2025-08-28-Consortium-qqDataFruits.html If you want to add your news to this list, use this form: https://tinyurl.com/4c89buy4 # The week on the Pharo Issue Tracker # Pharo 13 - [Backport] Manage cancelling of FileBrowser via UITheme #18478 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18478 # Fixes - backwardCompatible deprecation of trimmed in String #18337 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18337 # Code Completion - Add frequency-based completion sorting #18481 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18481 - Enh/generic workspace heuristic #18373 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18373 # Tools - Fix behavior of FileBrowser when we cancel the selection #18477 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18477 - Improve Iceberg opening management #18452 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18452 - Longer line + new line after comment. #18465 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18465 # Cleanups / Documentation - [Forward port #18414] Remove tests of deprecated code raising useless warnings #18463 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18463 - better doc on regex syntax #18461 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18461 # Website - add news: consortium member qqDataFruits #104 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-website/pull/104 - Add News: VM 3.10.6, 3.10.7 #103 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-website/pull/103 - add news: Pharo Companies Wanted #102 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-website/pull/102 - add QqDataFruits Success Story #101 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-website/pull/101

Aug. 29, 2025

Re: [Pharo-dev] Wanted: Companies using Pharo

by Marcus Denker

Hello, As this is confusing: I did setup *two* instances of this, there is *no exchange* of data between them. This means, if you already added your company to the ESUG list, you have to add it to the Pharo list separately. If you add for Pharo, you can add your company to ESUG, too, if you like. https://pharo.org/Companies https://esug.org/companies.html I guess this is more confusing than I imagined. Marcus > On 27 Aug 2025, at 12:54, Marcus Denker <marcus.denker(a)inria.fr> wrote: > > We have a list of Pharo Companies at > > https://pharo.org/Companies > > A problem of course was that the list got out of date quite quickly. > > We now have improved it: > > - there is a form to add a new company > - the contact person will get a link to update the infos at any time > - the system sends a mail every year to the contact to remind to check if the data is still current > - website is rendered directly from the data > > The current page still has a simple rendering: all companies alphabetically. > But with the data we will be able to improve this step by step, so consider adding the info not currently used (e.g. map position, logo...) > > Future: > - nicer page, e.g. with company logos > - check links regularly (and send mail in case it is broken) > - interactive map > > For now, the page contains both the new and the old list, with the idea of removing the old entries eventually. > > (If you are on the ESUG Mailinglist, you might have seen that we did the same for ESUG, for Smalltalk in general. > The link to add your company there is https://esug.org/companies.html ) > > Marcus

Aug. 28, 2025

[ANN] Pharo Consortium New Gold Member: qqDataFruits

by Marcus Denker

The Pharo Consortium is very happy to announce that qqDataFruits S.R.L has joined the Consortium as a Gold Member. About - qqDataFruits: https://qqDataFruits.be - Pharo Consortium: http://consortium.pharo.org Individuals can support Pharo via the Pharo Association https://association.pharo.org

Aug. 28, 2025

Wanted: Companies using Pharo

by Marcus Denker

We have a list of Pharo Companies at https://pharo.org/Companies A problem of course was that the list got out of date quite quickly. We now have improved it: - there is a form to add a new company - the contact person will get a link to update the infos at any time - the system sends a mail every year to the contact to remind to check if the data is still current - website is rendered directly from the data The current page still has a simple rendering: all companies alphabetically. But with the data we will be able to improve this step by step, so consider adding the info not currently used (e.g. map position, logo...) Future: - nicer page, e.g. with company logos - check links regularly (and send mail in case it is broken) - interactive map For now, the page contains both the new and the old list, with the idea of removing the old entries eventually. (If you are on the ESUG Mailinglist, you might have seen that we did the same for ESUG, for Smalltalk in general. The link to add your company there is https://esug.org/companies.html ) Marcus

Aug. 27, 2025

Pharo News of the Week 34/2025

by Marcus Denker

# Pharo News of the Week 34/2025 With this issue, the weekly news catched up with the summer break and will now be again on schedule posted every Friday (Week 35 will be this Friday, 29/08). If you want to add your news to this list, use this form: https://tinyurl.com/4c89buy4 # The week on the Pharo Issue Tracker # Pharo 13 - avoid presenter opening too late when using SpWindowForceOpenNonModal. #1793 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1793 # Pharo 14 - Fix bug in maximize window #18476 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18476 - OSSDL2AthensRenderer now specifies deviceScale in cairo surface #18469 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18469 - changing pulse service step delay #1225 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1225 - st-pulse-refactoring-list-counter #1216 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1216 - avoid presenter opening too late when using SpWindowForceOpenNonModal. #1792 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1792 # VM - [P12] Fix missing accept on socket #1005 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1005

Aug. 27, 2025

Pharo News of the Week 33/2025

by Marcus Denker

# Pharo News of the Week 33/2025 If you want to add your news here, use this form: https://tinyurl.com/4c89buy4 # The week on the Pharo Issue Tracker # Pharo 13 - [backport 1226] Bookmarks initialization #1227 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1227 - Backport 1222: Allow to add their own bookmarks #1223 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1223 - Backport of 1218 (fix StOpenFileOrDirectoryPresenter) #1219 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1219 - [Backport] Fix tests #1807 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1807 - [Backport] Fix Filtering list ports #1805 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1805 # Ci / Tests - fix errors in CI due to incomplete regex for stamps (could have 5 or 6 digits at the end) #18462 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18462 - fix failing tests since merge of https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18421 #18460 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18460 - Fix release test #1224 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1224 # Command Line / Clap - Refactors bootstrap process with Clap commands #18459 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18459 - Replaces initializePackages command with bootstrap fixMethods clap command #18458 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18458 - Fix error report generation during the bootstrap #18456 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18456 - Uses Clap for Hermes command-line handling #18455 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18455 - Use Clap command to handle Pharo printVersion command #18451 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18451 - New rule to avoid Smalltalk tools reference in spec #18421 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18421 # Tools - StOpenFileOrDirectoryPresenter cannot open a directory #1218 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1218 - Clean bookmarks initialization #1226 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1226 - Add the possibility to add our own bookmarks #1222 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1222 - Enable "openOnListDirectory" of the file browser #1221 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1221 - Categorize method #1962 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1962 # Spec - Fix tests #1806 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1806 - Fix Filtering list ports #1804 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1804 - Improve setting the paths of a tree #1803 https://github.com/pharo-spec/Spec/pull/1803 # VM - Improving debugging and types of aioWin.c #1008 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1008 - Reducing the number of handles to test #1009 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1009 - Preparing for release 10.3.7 #1010 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1010 - Removing named events as they have a speed impact #1013 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1013 - Fixing a race condition introduced in v10.3.7 #1011 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1011 - Preparing for release 10.3.8 #1012 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/pull/1012

Aug. 26, 2025

Pharo News of the Week 32/2025

by Marcus Denker

# Pharo News of the Week 32/2025 - [ANN] Pharo VM 10.3.7 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo-vm/releases/tag/v10.3.7 - [ANN] Phausto talk @ ADCX-gather on September 20th: "Sound over Boilerplate: Accessible plug-ins development with Phausto and Cmajorâ https://audio.dev/adcx-gather-info/ If you want to add your news to this list, use this form: https://tinyurl.com/4c89buy4 # The week on the Pharo Issue Tracker # FFI - ffi value holder for multiple arities #18436 https://github.com/pharo-project/pharo/pull/18436 # Tools - Fixed popup strategy for Morphic #1220 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1220 - Better error message when accessing value throw an exception #1214 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1214 - Fixed popup strategy for Morphic #1220 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1220 - Better error message when accessing value throw an exception #1214 https://github.com/pharo-spec/NewTools/pull/1214 # Git - Add IceTipRepositoriesBrowser class>>ensureOpen #1961 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1961 - Drop "Working copy of" from the name of IceTipWorkingCopyBrowser #1960 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1960 - Add an option to group opened repositories in Iceberg #1959 https://github.com/pharo-vcs/iceberg/pull/1959

Aug. 25, 2025

UKSTUG Meeting - Gilad Bracha: Online Collaboration for Free - 27 August 2025

by UK Smalltalk

For our August presentation, Newspeak's creator Gilad Bracha ( http://bracha.org/ ) will share some recent developments in Newspeak. All Newspeak ( https://newspeaklanguage.org/ ) applications now support interactive online collaboration out of the box. No programming is required to enable this. We utilize the Croquet system to support this, but use it in a unique way, so that no special programming is required. Instead, we leverage Newspeak's class hierarchy inheritance and platform objects so that all Croquet adaptation is done automatically. This is an interim step toward Newspeak's long-standing goal of orthogonal synchronization. We'll explain what all this means, show how it's done, and speculate on next steps. This will be an online meeting. If you'd like to join us, please sign up in advance on the meeting's Meetup page ( https://www.meetup.com/ukstug/events/309017143/ ) to receive the meeting details.

Aug. 20, 2025