Cincom Smalltalk Protocols

  • Wed, August 24, 12:00pm – 12:30pm
  • First Name: Jerry
  • Last Name: Kott
  • Title: Cincom Smalltalk Protocols - new features and tools.
  • Type: Talk

Abstract: Jerry Kott, a Senior Software Engineer with Cincom Systems, Inc., will present a ‘Look what we have done since last year’ summary of new additions to the Protocols frameworks and components. In this talk, Jerry will introduce several new features of the AppeX web development framework: Javascript code minification, shared session support that makes it easier to write multi-page web applications with AppeX, access to third party Javascript libraries, and UserMessages framework for localization of AppeX applications. A new JSFile framework which permits a round-trip Rapid Application Development with Chrome Developer Tools will be mentioned, with a demo of the framework presented in a separate session. Jerry will revisit the AppeX-Scaffolding framework that was in preview in VisualWorks 8.1, and is now ready for a full release in the upcoming version 8.2 of VisualWorks, including a new GUI tool for automatic generation of AppeX applications from existing databases. In the realm of Security, Jerry will talk about OpenSsl support for AES+GCM encryption and related AEAD cipher suites for TLS v 1.2, the addition of Application Layer Protocol Negotiation (ALPN), the introduction of the HTTP/2 protocol implementation, and the support for LDAPS. Finally, Jerry will mention some Security protocols that have been deprecated because they are no longer considered secure.

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.