Why new Smalltalk like IDEs?
Blaine Buxton in Java VM Puts Shackles On Development Tools
…in 2007 with dynamic languages finally getting recognition that few people are screaming for the capabilities of a Smalltalk VM. The productivity of Smalltalk owes not only to its dynamic nature, but to its always running and lively IDE.
Developers coming from traditional environments just don’t have the exposure to that way of working. It probably never crosses their mind that an environment that is “alive” is more productive. The only way a Smalltalk like environment would happen for another language is if it is written by somebody coming from Smalltalk and wanting the same tools.
I for one would be all for a Ruby IDE that was essentially an image.
