[Cuis] HelpSystem in core vs. external package

[Juan Vuletich]

Hi Casey,

If the code is nice and small (I trust you), then let's integrate it in 
the image. Having it at hand will encourage other people to use it to 
document both external packages and core functionality.

Cheers,
Juan Vuletich

Casey Ransberger wrote:
> So I'm looking at a design decision.
>
> Either I port the package on squeaksource (which I take it is the 
> Pharo version) as an external package, or...
>
> ???
>
> I'd honestly love to have HelpSystem in "the image we ship." Which is 
> currently the "core" but doesn't always have to be. I don't want to go 
> all the way back down that rabbit hole today, though, so I'm going to 
> try to be on topic here.
>
> I think having a help menu actually *is* a creature comfort that's 
> worth investing in. One could argue that "no one ever looks up help" 
> but that's just because they're literate, in the conventional sense of 
> "computer literacy" which basically boils down to knowing how to surf 
> the web, and use Excel and Word; as such, one could also argue that 
> most people aren't doing crazy advanced stuff like navigating an 
> object-soup, or especially doing open-heart surgery on an object-soup.
>
> HelpSystem is small enough, and Torsten seems willing to take changes, 
> that we could probably keep it in core and still keep it up to date. 
>
> Anyhow, I'd like a show of hands about whether or not I should aim for 
> internal or external. I'm raising my hand in favor of internal, which 
> isn't something I do lightly (for the record!)
>
> The main decision is whether or not to replace PluggableListMorph with 
> HierarchicalListMorph and call it a fork (something I'd be more likely 
> to do if we integrated it) or map the APIs onto the Cuis Pharo-compat 
> lib (which I would *only* do if HelpSystem remained external [we don't 
> have Pharo-compat in the core.])
>
> Let me know what I should shoot for, folks.
>
> -- 
> Casey Ransberger
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