craig@unicus.UUCP (Craig D. Hubley) (06/04/87)
Yet another theory on the origin of the name "Smalltalk": Object-oriented programming is based on the concept of modular, self-contained packages of code and data that are usually SMALL (at least in comparison to their monolithic 'structured' counterparts) and communicate via TALK (messages 'between equals' as opposed to a hierarchy of calling routines). This occured to me shortly after reading the Byte Smalltalk issue in 1981. I would actually be surprised if it turns out the name has another origin. This one seems very natural and captures a couple of the obvious differences between structured and object-oriented programming. Any of the original designers care to comment?
tubman@sask.UUCP (06/08/87)
The origin of the name "Smalltalk" -- according its inventor, Alan Kay, quoted in "The AI Business" (eds. P. H. Winston & K. A. Prendergast; MIT Press, 1984), p. 174: "We called Smalltalk Smalltalk so that nobody would expect anything from it." Jim Tubman The Computer-Guided Diagnosis Project University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada S7N 0W0 "World Peace through Calendar Reform."