Conference turris::languages

    By the way, a REXX standards committee (X3Jsomething) was recently
    formed.
    
    				-John

I'll bite.  What is REXX?  What is XEDIT?

   Gary

    REXX is IBM's command language for the VM/CMS operating system, but it
    is also available for MSDOS, OS/2, and the Amiga, I think.  It is a 
    very good language if I recall correctly.
    
    XEDIT is IBM's editor for VM/CMS.  It's block mode oriented and has
    line numbers on the side of the text.  To copy/move/delete lines, you
    overtype the line numbers with characters indicating the action you
    intend and press the enter key.  The machine then sends a new screen 
    with the modifications.  There's also a command line.  In the TPU
    notes conference various people asked if it would be possible to
    convince TPU to do this sort of thing, answer was no.  XEDIT is not
    much fun if you know EVE, LSE, or emacs, but on block mode terminals...
    
    		Walter

    REXX is also available for MVS.  

    AREXX is the Amiga version of REXX and it has become quite a standard
    in the Amiga world. Many applications have built-in interfaces for
    AREXX.
    
    Sorin

    Back to the original question, Would it be to DEC's advantage to make
    REXX available to DEC users?  There is a third party which markets REXX
    for the VAX as well as XEDIT for the VAX.
    
    Jim...

    None but you seems to think that it is worthwhile. I haven't seen ReXX
    but given some of the IBM system tools that I have seen, I can
    understand why no one is jumping at the opportunity.
    
    You could, of course, write up a proposal and send it to TLE product
    Management (who probably don't read this conference)
    
    q
    

    Personally and by far, I prefer REXX to DCL command procedures.  The
    only thing that's kept me from using it is the lack of a REXX
    interpreter for VMS (though I've toyed with the idea of writing one). 
    This is one example of an IBM tool that actually makes the machine
    easier to deal with. 
    
    VM/CMS understands two types of "command procedures": EXEC2, which is
    roughly comparable to DCL command procedures, and REXX procedures,
    which have no VMS equivalent.  
    
    Given the nature of what REXX does, it would be better if it were
    integrated with VMS rather than sold separately (if it were to be
    developed at all).
    
    --Pat

Does anyone have any more details of the items raised above:

.0 - who or what is the WorksStation Group who market a VAX version of REXX?

.1 - the REXX standards committee.  Is anyone from Digital taking an interest?

I am looking at a serious enquiry from a customer who would like to run their
substantial IBM REXX system on VAX/VMS.  It appears that they could have
significant funding for this, so it might be an opportunity to get something up
and running on VAXes.

Any other pointers to information, or rumours of other people interested would
also be useful.

Steve H.

    Portability is fast becoming a hot button.  Rexx exists on many
    platforms and DECland isn't one of them.  It makes good business sense
    for DEC to supply REXX.  I do not work for DEC, in fact, I work on IBM
    mainframes in the IBM interconnect area as a contractor.  I do not use
    the VAX as much as I'd like because with all this technology around me,
    I do not want to take the time to learn a new tool.  From a marketing
    sense, I would use the vax if rexx was there.  While I was there, I may
    pick up some DCL.  But, if DEC wants IBM people to use a VAX, it makes
    sense to offer rexx.
    
    

The people with the influence to make .10 happen probably don't read
this notes file.  I'm sure there are some marketing/sales oriented
conferences that deal with selling into IBM shops.  Why not raise this
issue there?

Or figure out which industry product groups are appropriate and contact them.

   Gary

Here's an update on my investigations for anyone else who might be looking at
Rexx in the future.  Thanks to all those who helped with suggestions and 
information.

The Workstation Group (tel: 708.696.4800) mentioned in .0 sell a Rexx
compiler/interpreter for UNIX, together with the XEDIT editor.  When I called
them, they put me in touch with their UK agents, Interlogic (Tel: 753 889 749). 
After some friendly and helpful chats I was sent some brochures, but our
customer has gone quiet now so there is unlikely to be any follow up.

One question that came to mind was that this product is not listed in the 
Digital software lists for UNIX.  Does this mean they have not asked to be
listed, or that they have been evaluated and excluded from the list for 
some reason?

When talking to Interlogic, they said that a VMS version of Rexx had been 
considered and prototyped but not marketed mainly because of the lack of 
interest.  They felt that the Workstation Group might be persuaded to 
resurrect this given the right incentive.

Steve H.

From the internet...
    
    Subject: [comp.lang.rexx] Free Unix REXX interpreters available for FTP
Archive-name: auto/comp.lang.rexx/Free-Unix-REXX-interpreters-available-for-FTP

Two freely distributable REXX interpreters for Unix were announced at the
REXX Symposium.  I've gathered both onto the arexx.uwaterloo.ca FTP site.
Here's the README file:


  arexx.uwaterloo.ca:pub/freerexx/README


	Here are some free REXX interpreters for Unix.  I call them "andersrexx"
	and "alrexx" after their respective authors for lack of anything better
	to call them.

		andersrexx/rexx-0.02a.tar.Z     173500      straight C
			  files originally from flipper.pvv.unit.no

		alrexx/rx102.tar.Z              671904      C++ (using GNU G++)
			  files originally from tony.cat.syr.edu

	To compile, both interpreters require Lex and Yacc (or suitable clones).


I haven't compiled these versions, so please don't complain to me, send
email directly to the authors.  Those across the Atlantic should take note
of the Norway FTP site where "andersrexx" resides...  should be simpler to
get it directly from there.

-- 
Eric Giguere                                       [email protected]
           Unlike the cleaning lady, I have to do Windows.
    

  I have a query from a sales person about REXX on behalf of a customer. It
  seems from this note that REXX is available for VAXes but it's not clear if
  it will run under VMS. Does anyone know if there is a VAX/VMS implementation
  and, if so, who distributes it? Thanks.
						John Gillings, Sydney CSC

    Dec does not have a Rexx offering.  There is a company named "The
    Workstation Group" which markets REXX and XEDIT for VMS as well as for
    Unix.
    
    Please read some of the previous entries of this thread.  I think the
    company information is there somewhere.
    
    Good Luck.....

    There is an excellent implementation of REXX on the IBM PC marketed by
    Quercus, Saratoga, CA. The President of Quecus is Charles Daney who is
    the author of Personal REXX for the PC (for DOS and OS2). Charles has
    also ported Personal REXX to the VAX for a special project, but has not
    marketed it. He is quite interested in a REXX port for the VAX (and any
    others).
    
    Daney has just published a book "Programming in REXX" which is very
    readable and quite frank about the strengths and weaknesses of REXX.
    The book is published by McGraw Hill, J. Ranade IBM Series, ISBN
    0-07-015305-1. The UPC is 780070 153059. The price is about $50.00US.
    
    Mike Cowlishaw of IBM is the author of REXX and has published "The REXX
    Programming Language". This has sold 100,000 copies which makes it a
    little less popular than the "C" Specifications.
    
    O'Hara and Gomberg have published "Modern Programming in REXX" as well.
    
    From my personal experience, I do all of my programming is REXX.  I
    recently had to write a filter to translate the output from the
    DECworld Reports System into a comma delimited file importable into
    Paradox so that we could produce reports to enable us to track our
    customers. One of the problems I had to cope with was the random
    spelling of company names and the the variety of titles. REXX allowed
    me to put together a quick and dirty program to do the conversion.
    
    One characteristic of REXX is that it is designed to deal with
    "environments". DCL is an environment. The command language for an
    editor like Kedit (a PC version of Xedit that runs circles around VMS
    editors) is another environment.  REXX allows you to write a program
    that assembles these commands and then passes them to the environment.
    REXX then passes back to you the result of the command -- error codes,
    etc. This is how REXX is used as the System Product interpreter on
    VM/CMS. 
    
    I have heard that REXX is implemented by IBM on VM/CMS, MVS, OS/400,
    and OS2. REXX also runs on the Amiga. There are some UNIX
    implementations. Waterloo University has one. There are about 11
    implementations right now.
    
    Quercus is announceing a REXX/Windows and REXX/Presentation Manager at
    the Windows and OS/2 Conference at the Boston WTC August 19-21, 92.
    
    REXX is part of IBS's SAA Strategy.
    
    Personally, I have found REXX very productive and frequently download
    files from ALL-IN-1 to process with REXX and then upload back to send
    over the network.
    
    Paul.

    Goldberg and Smith have published "The REXX Handbook" which describes
    the history of REXX, its strengths and weaknesses, and many of its
    implementations. REXX is a key part of IBM/MVS including TSO, IBM/CMS,
    IBM OS/400 Operating System, OS/2, Tandem Operating System, Amiga
    Operating System. There is a PC version by Quercus mentioned in .17.
    There is a Unix REXX implementation that has been ported to 20
    platforms.
    
    Charles Daney, the author of the PC Version ported the PC version to
    the VAX for SLAC (Stamford Linear Accelerator C??). The port took about
    a week (according to Dany). The port was for a project which has since
    been closed down. Daney's opinion and the author of the article in "The
    Rexx Handbook" is that VMS could profit from a more flexible procedure
    language. Daney says that he is quite willing to work with Digital on a
    production port of the package to VMS.
    
    Paul.
    

    I know Phil Smith and Gabe Goldberg quite well.  I wrote a chapter for
    their about-to-be-released VM/ESA Handbook.  
    
    I have two copies of the REXX Handbook in my office in LKG1.  These
    books are available from IBM as an IBM part number.  The book is
    published by McGraw/Hill.
    
    I agree with Daney about DEC needing a better language.  REXX has
    proven itself time and time again.  I think every platform has a REXX
    implementation but DEC.  
    
    In this age of cooperative processing, it makes sense that if I can
    access my DEC system from my IBM system I should be able to find tools
    which I already know and understand.  Many people want to be
    productive, not hit another learning curve.
    
    Anyway, .....

    Not being familiar with REXX, what are its distinguishing features that
    would make it "A more flexible command environment" than DCL or even
    say the Korn Shell (which are also availble on VMS).
    
    --  Barry

    I'm not one to educate nor start a debate.  There are many rexx books
    around.  If you'd like to borrow one, let me know.  I have the REXX
    handbook mentioned in .-2.
    
    

    re: .18
    
    SLAC stands for Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.
        John Sauter, '67

    re .22
    
    More recently,
    
    SPLAC (Stanford Piecewise Linear Accelerator Center) ...
    							after the earthquake.

    Its been a year and DEC still doesn't have a clue about REXX.  Maybe
    DCL is just so far advanced that its really first, not last.

    Big Rexx symposium being held in Boston first week of May 1994.