Re: Nice Automator article on O'Reilly
Re: Nice Automator article on O'Reilly
- Subject: Re: Nice Automator article on O'Reilly
- From: has <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 7 May 2005 14:42:42 +0100
Elliotte Harold wrote:
>C is hardly a language for hobbyists or novices. Hell, it's hardly a
>language for experts.
<chuckle> As a "portable assembly" C is one of the most fantastic pieces of software ever written. As an exercise in HCI design though it leaves a lot to be desired. Actually, if I had my way the C compiler'd have an s-expression frontend and the only thing that'd talk to it directly would be other programs (e.g. decent macros for a start; you could turn C into most anything with those, even a VHLL). Maybe in the next reality... :p
>The proper comparison is probably with Python. Now
>there's a language that's genuinely easy to use.
Python's not bad, at least until you start getting deeper into its rather compex and baroque object system. Mind you, folk who do probably have some experience and knowledge of "real programming" stuff so will be able to cope. And hobbyists/novices shouldn't [touch wood] need to go in that deep. As long as they're comfortable with importing modules and making and using objects from existing classes (something folks here, for example, are well used to) then many tasks are completely doable in very straightforward procedural fashion. Python's also relatively easy to read for a 'geeky' language, which is the reason I picked it when looking for something to learn after AppleScript.
> > In AppleScript, I can do just that: write a routine, compile it, and
> > debug it, all between dinner and bed time. I can do this because the
> > language is so limited in scope, and because the editor, compiler,
> > debugger and runner are conveniently provided in an IDW (Integrated
> > Development Window).
>
>There's a debugger? I must have missed that. Is that new in Tiger or
>something?
Not in Script Editor. I'm guessing the OP was referring to Script Debugger.
Actually, I'm kinda curious where AppleScript (and presumably, by extension, SD) is going on the debugger front: the OSADebugger API was deprecated in Panther and is no longer supported in Tiger, but I've not seen anything about alternative solutions or a new replacement API. Anyone know?
Cheers,
has
--
http://freespace.virgin.net/hamish.sanderson/
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