OK, since I raised a bunch of hackles by saying that AppleScript was
a developer tool, let me try to explain:
My initial comment was mainly targeted at Apple's web site
organization. According to the site organization (it's reflected in
the human organization as well), if you write content that somehow
rides on top of a Mac OS service, then you're a developer. Dashboard
widgets? Developer. Shell scripting? Developer. Writing web
pages? Developer. And yes, AppleScript -- developer. "Developer"
is not equivalent to "C-coding, bit-twiddling, long-bearded geek".
This organization is not new -- it's been this way for at least six
years that I can remember clearly, and I think well before that.
What makes this argument so incredibly stupid is that it's really
just an argument over definitions. (The one I really love goes like
this: "Programming is something that only professional programmers
can do. I am not a a professional programmer. Therefore, what I do
-- writing AppleScript -- is not programming.") The "user" versus
"developer" divide is arbitrary and artificial; the reality is that
it's a continuum.
As for AppleScript being marketed to "users" versus "developers",
well, see above. The real issue is the size of the target audience.
No one (well, almost no one, but they were delusional) ever seriously
expected *every* Mac user to write their own scripts -- most people
just don't care enough. Heck, something like 40% don't care enough
to even change preferences. AppleScript has always been marketed as
*relatively* simple -- that is, simple enough for someone who doesn't
(and doesn't want to) spend most of their time programming to use.
So, yes, it's marketed to a wider audience than professional
programmers. To the extent that you equate "user" with "not a
professional programmer", then AppleScript is a "user" tool, but
again, see above.
To sum up:
1. "User" vs. "developer", essentially pointless.
2. If you're looking for AppleScript documentation, you'll get better
results by searching developer.apple.com than by searching
www.apple.com.
3. If you want to complain that you're not a developer, see #1.
--Chris Nebel
AppleScript and Automator Engineering
