Smalltalk and HyperCard show two very different software design philosophies
dmdohan · x · 2026-07-27
Smalltalk and HyperCard are often grouped together, but they represent two very different software design philosophies.
- Smalltalk style: everything is the same kind of object. It is minimal, elegant, and very powerful, but can feel intimidating and hard to get started with.
- HyperCard style: start with a friendly drawing app, then gradually add links, buttons, and scripts until it becomes something much richer.
The point is not that one approach is better. They have different strengths, and smart programmers may underestimate how valuable the HyperCard approach is.
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