----- Original Message -----
From: "Chipp Walters" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Probably Richard, Jacque or Ken will jump in here and correct me if I'm
wrong. But, as I recall, the primary reason for writing MetaCard
as a total RAM based product was it made it lightning fast. And to this
day, it is still a very fast programming environment. In many
ways, significantly faster than HyperCard.
Thanks, Chipp.
Remember, the first platforms MetaCard ran on were UNIX based, which had
virtual memory, so there wasn't a big problem regarding having too
little memory. Also, having RAM based stacks virtually eliminated the
dreaded stack corruption so prevalent in HC and SC. How many times did
any of us lose data to that particular problem!
I've read about this from time to time. As I know you'll be aware we have
this problem on Windows no matter what we do to the file or the file
type -but it's become a heck of a lot better since Windows 2000 and up.
While Bill Atkinson certainly was a very talented programmer, and
HyperCard at that time probably demanded a disk-based and Assembly
programmed effort, it was probably not the best choice for programming
languages concerning serviceability. SuperCard, which came later, was
based on a bit easier to maintain language, and while not quite as fast as
HC, was very respectable in terms of performance.
I see.
I have as much respect...if not more, for Scott Raney's efforts taking the
best parts of HC, speeding them up significantly and architecting
a solution for multiple platforms. You only need be around during the MC
days to recall what a perfectionist and stickler for details (esp
bugs) he was. His journey and product has lasted much longer than HC's,
partly because of architecture, partly because of business
savvy, and mostly because it solved problems in ways no other software
did.
The latter is what makes Rev so facinatning to me. It does stuff I could do
in other languages but the time and effort involved in doing it outways the
usability of Rev.
Also, let's not forget, before the Mac there was Xerox PARC, and their own
'lamer' version of MacPaint. Before HyperTalk, there was
SmallTalk. I only mention this because in some way or another, all
software is derivative. Don't get me wrong. Andy and Bill were two of
the brightest lights ever to program.
Haven't heard reference to Xerox PARC for several years now. I agree,
software is without doubt derivative. Coming to transcript relatively
recently (only a few years and admittedly grocking it properly even more
recently) was both surprising, initially alarming and incredibly refreshing.
My own experience of programming has never been anything like transcript.
I'm sure other people using other IDE's and compilers would agree.
Scott Kane
CD Too - Voice Overs Artist & Original Game and Royalty Free Multi-Media
Music
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start
today and make a new ending." -- Maria Robinson
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