From: eyvind@Lise.Unit.NO (Eyvind Bernhardsen)
Subject: Re: Programming
Organization: Norwegian Institute of Technology
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 92 18:01:07 GMT

In article <mwm.2n4z@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us>, mwm@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us (Mike Meyer) writes:

 > Can I have AMOS open a window on the WB? Can I have it not open a
 > window at all, but run in CLI mode? Can I have it not steal a the
 > input stream? Can I have it not disable task switching while it's
 > running?  If the answer to any of those is "no", then it's not system
 > compliant.

Well, dunno about AMOS, but in AMOS Pro, there's a demo where a window is opened
on the workbench, and acts like a shell (interpreting is done by AMOS, tho, NOT 
by the Shell.  So you CAN open a WB window, and also execute DOS commands. 
There's a section in the manual about library calls (haven't tried anything yet, I
only just got it), and it DOES multitask.

 > > On the AMOS disks is a HD install program written in AMOS (you
 > > can look at the code if you want too, as an example for any programs you
 > > might want to write).  AMOS IS DEFINITELY AN ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE. 
 > 
 > For that disk installer, what do you do if you get an "out of space"
 > requester? In a properly written application, you can switch to the WB
 > or open a CLI and go delete things.

You don't.  It knows how much space it needs, and will tell you if you don't have
enough.  Anyway, by your definition of a 'properly written application', I've
NEVER seen a properly written HD-install (except MAYBE the SAS one).

 > Everything is an alternative language for SOMETHING. It's just not
 > always clear what that something is. Unless a language can do windows
 > on WB (or public screens in 2.0) and CLI style commands, it's not

Since AMOS allows library calls, you can do ANYTHING (yes, even open a public
screen).

 > suitable for general utilties. Unless you can disable the idiotic
 > stealing of the input stream, it's not suitable for anything that's
 > going to run unattended for longer than your blanker timeout. Unless

What?

 > it can open a public screen, it's not suitable for doing productivity
 > tools under 2.0. Unless it can be prevented from disabling
 > multitasking, it's not suitable for anything you might want to use

It doesn't disable multitasking...

 > with another tool. After those are eliminated, you want to tell me
 > what's left?

Yeah - egg all over your face :)

Did you eliminate anything?  No, you just said 'anything which does(n't) [...]
isn't a good programming language', without proving that ANY of the things you
mention apply to AMOS.  Check your facts, at least...

 > > Again, I'm NOT saying "AMOS is the best language ever wittten and blows
 > > everything away" etc.  It does have downfalls (as does ***** EVERY *****
 > > language).  Many C (and other language) programmers like to use AMOS
 > > because it is SIMPLE to do VERY COMPLEX THINGS.  Again, I am only a user
 > 
 > That's a good thing about many languages. That's not a problem; it's
 > that every AMOS program I've ever run into behaves in a completely
 > unacceptable way. Nuts - I've had more bug reports for AMOS than I
 > have for ShadowMaster. Because of that, I'm not going to buy a copy,
 > and I'm certainly not going to pirate one.

Too bad...  You're the one that's missing out.  (But at least you're honest).

 > 	<mike

-Eyvind

-- 
     //|       AMOS Pro, C, Assembly | DISCLAIMER: I don't HAVE opinions.
    // |                             | I just repeat what everyone else says!
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 \X/   |         eyvind@lise.unit.no | Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!  Ackpth!
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