ORCA/Logo

[jmk3@crux3.cit.cornell.edu (Jay Krell)]

 ------------
Category 18,  Topic 13
Message 24        Wed Apr 14, 1993
BYTEWORKS                    at 16:37 EDT
 
I'd sort of forgotten this topic existed, so let me bring it up to date a bit.
 
After a lot of discussion and looking at the issues, Roger settled on Logo as
the default scripting language for HyperStudio Mac.  It looks like it will be
in the initial release, although it's sure to change over the first few
months, as we find out how the language is actually used.
 
While SimpleScript will continue to be the defaul scripting language in the GS
version of HyperStudio, I will be releasing an add-on version of Logo for the
Apple IIGS version of HyperStudio.
 
Since the delta effort to release a stand-alone version is so small, and since
I think there are some unique things we will be able to offer, I will almost
certainly release a stand-alone version of Logo for the GS and Mac, too.  One
interesting feature of this language will be that you can run the same program
on either computer.  There are a number of other very interesting and unique
features that all of these Logos will share, too. I expect to announce and
demonstrate some real eye-poppers at Roger's HyperStudio conference in early
July, and again in Kansas.
 
Logo is, of course, a specialty language.  Like Fortran, Cobol, and LISP, Logo
is used heavily among it's community, and almost unknown outside of that
community.  This is basically a K-6 education language, despite the fact that
it is quite a nice language for a lot of general programming. That made it a
shoo-in for HyperStudio, which is also largely a K-6 program (even though it,
too, has a lot of uses outside that community). ADV isn't a K-6 group, though,
with a few notable exceptions.  If you know of someone who might be interested
in Logo or HyperStudio/Logo, please point them in this direction.
 
Mike Westerfield
 ------------
Dean, we're not really to the marketting stage, yet.  It might surprise some
folks, but we're usually at least pretty close to releasing a piece of
software before we send out flyers and press releases.  :)
 
At this stage, we know we're doing the project, and we have enough working for
some fun demos, but we're not really ready to ship.  I'd love to start talking
specifics with you and a few other knowledgeable people, and I don't mind
doing it in a public forum -- I sort of prefer it, since we will get some
interesting comments from unexpected sources that way.  But I'm not ready for
a detailed write-up in a magazine.  I really don't want potential customers
calling for price and availability, yet.
 
I'll start a topic in the Byte Works area where we can discuss technical
issues.
 
Mike Westerfield

--
  --Jay, jay.krell@cornell.edu