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From: peter@nmti.com (Peter da Silva)
Subject: Re: Why you should not use Tcl
Message-ID: <id.X3CD1.ICL@nmti.com>
Sender: peter@nmti.com (peter da silva)
Organization: Network/development platform support, NMTI
References: <9409232314.AA29957@mole.gnu.ai.mit.edu> <RV.94Sep25192903@cslab6b.cs.brown.edu> <id.2XBD1.L1G@nmti.com> <367cj1$bqt@admin5.hsc.uth.tmc.edu>
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 00:34:59 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu gnu.misc.discuss:18315 comp.lang.tcl:19336 comp.lang.scheme:9931

In article <367cj1$bqt@admin5.hsc.uth.tmc.edu>,
Jay Maynard <jmaynard@admin5.hsc.uth.tmc.edu> wrote:
> Why do you consider REXX to be "a lot worse"? It has a not insignificant
> following, and not a few visual development tools, at least on OS/2.

It's a cramped language, with no clean method for parsing/extending the code
directly and a hideously complex inter-language calling sequence. Plus it's
got a set of its own flaws, like giving uninitialised variables their name
as their value (the only rational alternatives are to trap (I prefer this)
or to yeild the null string).

It's got too much syntax. I don't think an embedded language should have a
whit more syntax than is absolutely necessary.

It's got oddball primitives for string handling that don't match the UNIX
hacker tools. PARSE is not nearly as capable as REGSUB.

No two platforms have implementations close enough to allow easy code porting.
That's where Scheme falls down, too, alas.
-- 
Peter da Silva                                            `-_-'
Network Management Technology Incorporated                 'U`
1601 Industrial Blvd.     Sugar Land, TX  77478  USA
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