Re: internal-vs-external behaviors

Marc Ramsey ([email protected])
Mon, 24 Apr 1995 13:05:28 -0700 (PDT)

I've been working on a portable NewtonScript-like interpreter for a few
months. It strikes me that the frame/slot metaphor used to describe
objects in NS maps nicely, both in syntax and semantics, to VRML. For
those of you who are not familiar with the language, NewtonScript is a
small dynamic object-oriented language. It is based on the Self language
developed at Stanford, and uses prototype inheritance rather than classes.

I implemented a similar language for AutoCAD R12, where it was used as a
platform-independent mechanism for describing dialog appearance and
behaviour. It has proved to be a very effective tool for 3rd party
developers.

Apple has indicated in the past that they will not restrict the efforts of
others to develop NewtonScript interpreters. A MS Word (?) document
describing the syntax is available on their ftp server
(ftp://ftp.apple.com/software/documentation/NewtonScriptEBNF.hqx). A good
introductory book is "Programming for the Newton" by McKeehan and Rhodes,
published by Academic Press, ISBN 0-12-484800-1.

If anyone is interested in pursuing this further, I invite them to get in
touch with me...

---
Marc Ramsey, [email protected]