Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!alberta!ubc-cs!van-bc!placer
From: lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: S/W Installation methodology
Message-ID: <2064@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: 25 Dec 88 03:27:41 GMT
Sender: placer@van-bc.UUCP
Lines: 42

In <3147@sugar.uu.net>, peter@sugar.uu.net (Peter da Silva) writes:
> Well, any of the compiled languages can do a decent job of software
> installation. And Execute can be enhanced with the various PD versions of
> UNIX utilities, just as the UNIX shell is. If you need an interpreter, there's
> one that comes with every Amiga... AmigaBasic. Then there are things like
> Forth, XLISP, Little Smalltalk, and so on. And how about MicroEmacs, another
> interpreter shipped with every box...?

	Yes, compiled languages can indeed do a good job of software installation,
until there is an exception somewhere, on someone's machine. Perhaps a name
conflict or a non-standard setup for what may be perfectly valid reasons. An
interpreted language allows far more people to make changes to suit their own
environment.

	Unix-like utilities are fine, but take up space on the disk the software
comes on, or must be provided on the WB or extras disk. Of course in order for
them to be used in this way, they must truly be PD, and not just freely
distributable, or the author's permission must be obtained. That's a lot of
authors to contact and the answer may not always be an unqualified yes.

	Amigabasic is a joke. Ever try running it on an '020? I hope Bill Gates is
thoroughly ashamed to be associated with it.

	The others you mention are large programs, taking up space on the software
distribution disk. What is really needed is the equivalent of the native
interpreted 'execute', only with more power.
 
> Not to knock REXX, but saying "nothing else comes close" is a bit excessive.

	I stand by what I said about nothing else coming close, given the
alternatives available today.

-larry

--
"Intelligent CPU?  I thought you said Intel CPU!" 
        -Anonymous IBM designer-
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|   //   Larry Phillips                                                |
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