Rapid Application Development with AppeX and Google Chrome Developer Tools

  • Fri, August 26, 10:00am – 10:15am

Abstract: Jerry Kott, a Senior Software Engineer with Cincom Systems, Inc., will present JSFile - a mini-framework that allows rapid web application development with code updates made in Chrome Developer Tools applied to the AppeX Javascript code in the VisualWorks IDE. He will show the steps that allow a developer to link the Chrome Network Resources to those on the local development machine’s file system, and edit those files right in the web browser. When a Javascript file is saved from the Chrome debugger, that change is automatically reflected in the AppeX development image, where it can be further refined, published to a repository, and so on. This provides development experience similar to what Smalltalkers love - the ability to apply code changes without the need to restart an application, and a seamless integration between the Google Chrome web browser and the VisualWorks development environments.

Bio: Jerry Kott has been a senior software engineer with Cincom Systems, Inc. since 2008. He is a member of the Cincom Smalltalk team responsible for network protocols, security and web application development components of the Cincom Smalltalk Foundation.

Prior to joining Cincom, Jerry worked as a Smalltalk consultant in a variety of industries including finance, insurance, telecommunications, manufacturing and entertainment. Throughout his career, Jerry has used most of the Smalltalk dialects. He first met Smalltalk/V in his native Czechoslovakia in 1988 while writing his Masters theses at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University of Prague. The political upheaval of 1988/1989 led Jerry to leave Czechoslovakia, and after a year in Austria, his family settled in Canada. While working as a programmer analyst at the TD Bank in Toronto, he was reintroduced to Smalltalk in 1993—this time with the intent of staying with it for good. Jerry’s recollection of his falling in love with Smalltalk can be summed up like this:

Day one: This is weird, no source code file? Day two: This is interesting; I can inspect live objects and send messages to them! Day three: This is great! I never want to use any other language!

Jerry is excited about the opportunity to return to his country of origin, to share his experiences with the Smalltalk community not far from where he lived when studying in Prague. When not programming in Smalltalk, Jerry uses his passion for photography and film by helping independent filmmakers as a cinematographer. He occasionally dabbles as an associate producer and assistant director. Jerry is also a member of Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue, a volunteer emergency response team that services the rugged western coastline of Vancouver Island off the West Coast of Canada. He lives in Victoria, British Columbia with his wife, five chickens and approximately 120,000 bees.