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[REBOL] Re: Tuples - Was Pair! thread

From: robbo1mark:aol at: 8-Feb-2002 8:32

Carl, with the greatest respect, I have to totally disagree with you here. When REBOl get's changed or improved or functionality is upgraded do all changes get upgraded across all platforms immediately? The historical answer is no! REBOL/View was introduced only on certain platforms which is still only increasing gradually across new revisions as and when RT can find the time to increasing /Views availablity. Similarly with /View/Pro & /Command & (/IOS whenever that is realeased) all have additonal features and functionality which mean thatREBOl scripts written for these targets can only run on certain platforms and not the full range which REBOL/Core currently supports. Just like HTML & Javascript and everything else you have to use the most up to date programs if you want to incorporate all the newest functionalities. Write Once / Run Anywhere is and always will be a terrific ideal and target to shoot for but this state of perfection is always an ideal and rarely a reality. In a REBOL context only achievable if your scripts stick to the lowest common denominator which is REBOL/Core and even then you have to specify which version of /Core your script relies upon. I've got old verrsions of /Core on my machines which will not run every script that Core 2.5 will. Programming is always in a state of flux between releases that is why in most languages you will find that the published "Standard" usually always lags a version behind the latest compiler / interpreter functionality & feature set. Automatic Upgrades can help to seamlessly upgrade to the latest version, security systems allowing of course, but this will never catch all systems everywhere and of course you don't need to be proprietary you incorporate automatic versioning and upgrade systems. Perl's CPAN provides this excellently. Old software exists and continues to be useful that is why it is so difficult to be compatible across all platforms unless you shoot for the lowest common denominator. This has got nothing to do with open source or proprietary software it is a logistical and practical distribution and versioning problem. Cheers, mark Dickson In a message dated Fri, 8 Feb 2002 8:13:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, Carl Read <[carl--cybercraft--co--nz]> writes: