Apple Computer announced this week that it will be making its AppleScript scripting language a native, integral part of the Rhapsody operating system. AppleScript allows users and administrators to automate repetitive tasks, and many key customers were hounding Apple about including it in Rhapsody. Key among them is Quark, which has integrated AppleScript into its widely used QuarkXpress desktop publishing package.
"I'm intensely pleased Apple will make AppleScript native in Rhapsody. If our customers don't have a scriptable Xpress, they can't do their jobs at all," said Tim Gill, chief technology officer at Quark.
Speed enhancements and a new MacOS 8 version are expected as well.
"We're looking to provide more speed and stability \[in MacOS 8 as well\]. If that means going native, we'll do that," said Sal Soghoian, AppleScript product manager.
Currently, there is no integrated scripting solution for Windows 95/NT: AppleScript is most similar to DOS batch files, though it is far more powerful. The next version of Windows and Windows NT will include something called "Windows Scripting Host" (WSH) that will allow users to script the operating system using VBScript or JavaScript
