Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osupyr.mast.ohio-state.edu!vkr
From: vkr@osupyr.mast.ohio-state.edu (Vidhyanath K. Rao)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: ARexx question
Message-ID: <894@osupyr.mast.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 30 Sep 88 20:13:08 GMT
References: <8759@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Reply-To: vkr@osupyr.mast.ohio-state.edu.UUCP (Vidhyanath K. Rao)
Organization: Dept of Math., Ohio St. U. at Newark
Lines: 23

In article <8759@watdragon.waterloo.edu> bmacintyre@watsol.waterloo.edu (Blair MacIntyre) writes:
>Ok, I've been reading about ARexx, programs that support it, etc. [...]
>  What exactly is it the point of having an ARexx port in a program? [...]

There are two advantages: The first is getting a full fledged macro language
(almost) for free. Right now that seems to have caught everybody's attention.
Especially since macros with loops, condintional execution and recursion are
not that common in many applications running on micros.

Another advantage is the fact that AREXX allows the end user to 'integrate'
programs of his/her choice. For example, I can use Emacs or DME or TxEd(Plus)
or UEdit or (you get the idea) with AmigaTeX and do so in an integrated fashion
like in the built-in editors on certain other micro implementations. The key
point is that it is I who selects the editor.

There is a whole new territory that is as yet unexplored: ARexx function hosts.
Since I don't know of any example (except ARexx itself) I don't know what is
possible, but it is promising. 

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						Nath Rao
					vkr@osupyr.mast.ohio-state.edu