Oct 18 1999. Meta-Classes a conspiracy of silence?

While I was beta testing Van Gogh, a product that never saw the light of day, I discovered a problem with meta-classes. A report was filed and the problem fixed, but then I went on a mission to discover more about meta-classes. David Smith was kind enough to send me a copy of his work on the Behavior of Behavior, but the payoff came when I talked to Russ Pencin and he suggested we should have lunch with Peter Deutsch. At the time I didn't know who Peter was, and in later years a fellow Smalltalk expressed awe that I talked to Peter, but hey this was Silicon Valley and Peter lives there too.

Peter suggested we have lunch at a local Palo Alto Caribbean restaurant. During the consumption of some VERY hot curried lamb it became evident that both Russ and Peter didn't want me to write about meta-classes, in fact I was told that there were more important things to write about...

After reflecting there, huddled between two pillars of the Smalltalk Community, I a novice Smalltalker was being commanded? not to speak on a topic, and this was coming from two individuals that had a combined Smalltalk experience of 50 years! I then and there decided to drop the quest.

:-} There were better topics, and perhaps it wasn't as bad as you think, since the Paper is available.

PS Apologies to both Peter and Russ if their memories don't quite reflect mine. Also thanks to Frank Jackson, and Bill Shauck for helping answer those questions too. They too have a place in Smalltalk History.