Transcript and/or ECMA - guess who started it?

[jbv]

Yes, I remember that feature of HC.

But still, I'm asking the question : I can understand the benefit
of coding in AppleScript in a MacOS environment, but I'm
wondering who might be interested to script a stack in javascript
(I've completed a few sophisticated web apps in javascript and
that was some of my worst experiences : even coding in assembler
is more enjoyable)...
I do understand that some folks might build browser control, but
well... considering the gorgeous perspectives of building web apps
with Rev, I have the feeling that working on a browser ctrl in javascript
is a big step backwards somehow...

JB


>
> > This is probably a dumb question, but what kind of new world would
> > open the possibility to script a stack in javascript (for instance) ?
>
> I was thinking of the way HyperCard handled this. There was a popdown
> button at the top of the script editor that allowed the author to set
> the scripting language. HyperCard would accept and use any OSA language
> available in the OS. All you had to do was set the scripting language
> to, for example, "applescript", and when you closed the script editor
> the entire script was compiled using the applescript compiler. You
> didn't have to "do" the script as applescript; it just ran natively that
> way. There was no speed hit when the script ran, because the engine
> didn't have to open and run the compiler the way it does when you "do as
> applescript".
>
> If this technique could be used cross-platform for any available
> compiler, then those who want to write in javascript could do so and
> their scripts would run natively in that language. Ditto for any other
> available language.
>