Re: Scripting in Gnome

["John (J5) Palmieri" <johnp martianrock com>]

On Mon, 2004-02-02 at 16:08, jamie wrote:

> > Um, for what purpose?  what do you need this fictional languages for
> > that you acn't already do with real life languages that already have
> > perfectly working Bonobo/ORBit bindings?
> 
> Let me give you an example:
> 
> Suppose we have a script engine as a bonobo component which is used by
> Gnumeric to enable users to write macros. SUppose johnny writes his
> macros in Gnumeric using python and chris writes his macros in Ruby.
> What happens when chris sends his gnumeric spreadsheet file with
> embedded Ruby macros to johnny, who does not have a Ruby interpreter
> installed? 
> 
> Of course he cant execute those macros if he does not have the Ruby
> interpreter installed. This problem is therefore magnified many times if
> you consider what happens with a generic script interface - you would
> need every possible interpreter installed on your system to guarantee
> you could execute any macro.   
> 
> Enter my proposed integrated generic script interface and that problem
> goes away. There would be no dependancy on any other libs or
> interpreters. Its the same case with Microsoft's activex scripting
> control. You get language independance and minial dependancy on other
> packages.
> 
> Remember I am not proposing to replace perl and python - I'm just
> proposing an integrated script engine. The languages to be used need not
> be more powerful than shell script.

Now you are clearer.  We are talking about two different things here. 
Scripting for the Desktop and scripting to extend application
functionality.  Scripting for the desktop I envisioned as a way to
enhance interaction between elements on the desktop (see Evolution Data
Server as an example of something one would want to script to).  You
want application specific scripting.  First I think that is largely
dependent on the application on what language to choose.  I don't think
it is a good thing to dictate that.  Sending scripts in a document is
all but a dead duck these days with viruses a number one concern.  I
know that people still do it but I think in the enterprise, where these
things matter the most, you will see a move to technologies like XForms
where it doesn't matter what the client machine has.  For the specific
needs of those who do need a quick and dirty application based scripting
I think it will be done on a case by case basis.  The security concerns
are staggering.  

It even seems that GNumeric has chosen Python:
 
http://www.gnome.org/~shaunm/gnumeric/sect-extending-python.html

--
J5