Small talk Interview Questions and Answers

Smalltalk is a dynamically typed object oriented programming language designed at Xerox PARC by Alan Kay, Dan Ingalls, Ted Kaehler, Adele Goldberg, and others during the 1970s. The language was generally released as Smalltalk-80 and has been widely used since. Smalltalk is in continuing active development, and has gathered a loyal community of users around it.An object-oriented operating system and programming language developed at Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto Research Center. Smalltalk was the first object-oriented programming language (Simula was the very first). Although it never achieved the commercial success of other languages such as C++ and Java, Smalltalk is considered by many to be the only true object-oriented programming environment, and the one against which all others must be compared

SmallTalk Interviews are getting tough these days as the technology grows faster. To get through the SmallTalk interview one needs to update him/herself in a regular manner. Having said that, just before the interview, it is very important to have a quick glance of the reputed SmallTalk questions and answers to make yourself comfortable during the interview process. This is where DoAnswers.com helps you in renewing yourself on SmallTalk and various other technologies interview preparation.

1. What does "Powered By Smalltalk" mean?

Powered by Smalltalk is one way that Smalltalk users and enthusiasts are promoting the Smalltalk programming language. Smalltalk is similar to other object-oriented languages like C# and Java but it is easier to learn and even more productive. Smalltalk is the perfect successor to Java and C#.

2. What is small talk?

Smalltalk is a pure object-oriented language. While C++ makes some practical compromises to ensure fast execution and small code size, Smalltalk makes none. It uses run-time binding, which means that nothing about the type of an object need be known before a Smalltalk program is run. Smalltalk programs are considered by most to be significantly faster to develop than C++ programs. A rich class library that can be easily reused via inheritance is one reason for this. Another reason is Smalltalk's dynamic development environment. It is not explicitly compiled, like C++. This makes the development process more fluid, so that "what if" scenarios can be easily tried out, and classes definitions easily refined. But being purely object-oriented, programmers cannot simply put their toes in the o-o waters, as with C++. For this reason, Smalltalk generally takes longer to master than C++. But most of this time is actually spent learning object-oriented methodology and techniques, rather than details of a particular programming language. In fact, Smalltalk is syntactically very simple, much more so than either C or C++.

3. Why Java succeed where Smalltalk failed?

Smalltalk was a heavy load and it was very difficult to use. Java, on the other side, got in the market "just in time" for a amazing growth of CPU and memory in a already ubiquitous PC. There was freedom. Smalltalk was about "take it all or leave it all". Java is a language, that can be used in different environments. Developers have their ways. I, for example, around 89/90 was using Actor and not Smalltalk, because it was more windows like. Syntax also plays a role. Although Smalltalk is pure OO and beautiful, it is easier for a programmer to learn Java (most of them know Pascal/C ou Basic).