Quoting Isaac Gouy <igouy / yahoo.com>:

> iirc the main alternatives to Smalltalk were C++ and 4GLs
>
> The folk learning Smalltalk range from experienced procedural
> programmers to non-programmers:
>
> IBM implemented Smalltalk across a wide range of hardware, and
> trained their consulting staff.
>
> The Open University used Smalltalk to teach programming to
> 5,000-8,000 students a year (for about a decade, they switch to
> Java in 2006).

Wow, ok.

I'd have to say that's a bit more "catching on" than Ruby's done to
date, in any sense of the term.

I see I've rather flagrantly displayed my youth and ignorance of
history, then.  Oops.

-mental