Re: Scripting Additions: Embracing the Horror of Unix
Re: Scripting Additions: Embracing the Horror of Unix
- Subject: Re: Scripting Additions: Embracing the Horror of Unix
- From: email@hidden (Michael Sullivan)
- Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 13:42:17 -0500
- Organization: Society for the Incurably Pompous
Ed Stockly,
>
I'm saying the opposite, that's it crucial for Apple and developers to
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make all (or as much a practical and useful) of the Unix commands and
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scripting available to AppleScripters with a pure and true AppleScript
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syntax. Otherwise the only people scripting Mac OS X will be those
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comfortable with Unix and Frontier and Perl etc. and Apple will lose an
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important segment of it's market.
>
I think they call that segment "The rest of us."
I don't think the description of mac users as "The rest of us" is
anywhere near accurate anymore, if it ever was. The use of a computer
system that's different in an environment where 80-90% of people are
using 1 system is an inherently techno-geeky thing to do. "The rest of
us" are using Windows, not because it's inherently easier for a
non-geek/programmer to use (IMO it's more difficult), but because
everyone else uses it and they don't know to do any differently.
Unfortunately, in a Windows world, it's *harder* to use a mac than a
Windows machine, despite it's more elegant interface.
Where do macs thrive? Primarily in industries where no other OS is
dominant, and in the homes and offices of a few people who are *very*
technically savvy and want the OS they prefer in spite of
interoperability hassles they put up with.
Macs are for geeks -- they are not for the "rest of us" unless that
means people who won't put with an inappropriate system just because
it's popular. Alas that's a small number of folk.
That said -- I notice the Apple isn't using the "rest of us" line
anymore, because whatever you say about Steve Jobs, he's got a nose for
where his bread is buttered, and right now his bread is buttered by
geeks. OS X primary appeal is to people who've been working on Unix and
waiting for a decent GUI without giving up the ability to run a CLI.
For the past 6 years people have been trying to design the killer unix,
a machine based on unix that has the option of a GUI that's at least as
easy to set up and use intuitively as Windows, and runs on inexpensive
hardware (read: not $20K+ per workstation like NeXT). Mac OSX is the
first example of this breed. Who knew that Apple would be the one to
finally do it?
So, it appears that Unix people are flocking to X, a sign that Apple has
finally figured out where it's market niche is -- not "the rest of us".
What I hope hasn't changed is the idea that we should drive our
computers and not the other way around. This got lost at times at
Apple, IMO, and the languishing of Applescript for years is a good
example.
Like Jon, I used Unix a long time ago before I got into commercial
graphics where macs are king. Though I'm not running X yet (switching
boots and environments all day long is not my thing, and much of the
workhorse software of publishing is not yet X-friendly), I'll be very
pleased when I can to be back in unix, where user customizability is
given a very high premium. Unix installations were all designed with
scripting in mind, not always by making applications drivable (but many
of the good ones are extraordinarily shell/perl scriptable), but also by
making file formats open and scripting languages with very intelligent
file access.
IMO, unix commands aren't so very hairy that a person can't figure out
shell scripting. The biggest issue is the syntax parsers. It would be
interesting and useful to see a shell written that eliminates some of
the escape sequence garbage that you have to know to make good use of
shell scripts. I think some AS handlers are trying to do something like
that from AS, and I think that's a worthy goal.
Anway, I've rambled long enough. When I go to X, I plan to learn Perl
or python and refamiliarize myself with the shell and not look back.
I'll use applescript to the extent that it's better or easier.
I can't believe it'll be any harder to learn the shell than learning all
the bullshit about the scriptable Finder and the many workarounds and
tricks necessary to get it to do what you really want. Applescript was
nothing like intuitive for me.
Michael
--
Michael Sullivan
Business Card Express of CT Thermographers to the Trade
Cheshire, CT email@hidden