JavaScript as a general purpose programming language?

[relaxedrob@optushome.com.au]

Howdy All!

I must admit that the more I use and learn JavaScript, the more
convinced I am that it is one of the most expressive languages I know.

Without ways to access file i/o or databases though, can JavaScript be
considered as a serious general purpose language?

Rob
:)

[Steve van Dongen]

Re: JavaScript as a general purpose programming language?

On 2 Sep 2003 23:53:03 -0700, relaxedrob@optu snet.com.au
(relaxedrob@opt ushome.com.au) wrote:
[color=blue]
>Howdy All!
>
>I must admit that the more I use and learn JavaScript, the more
>convinced I am that it is one of the most expressive languages I know.
>
>Without ways to access file i/o or databases though, can JavaScript be
>considered as a serious general purpose language?[/color]

Preventing things like file access is simply a limitation / security
feature of the browser OM. Javascript can be used on the server side
(e.g. Server Side Javascript, or ASP in JScript), on the command line
(e.g. WSH), or in HTAs where you can do pretty much anything you want.

<URL:
http://msdn.microsoft. com/workshop/author/hta/hta_node_entry. asp>
<URL:
http://msdn.microsoft. com/library/en-us/script56/html/wsoriWindowsScr iptHost.asp>

Regards,
Steve

[Jeff North]

Re: JavaScript as a general purpose programming language?

On 2 Sep 2003 23:53:03 -0700, in comp.lang.javas cript
relaxedrob@optu snet.com.au (relaxedrob@opt ushome.com.au) wrote:
[color=blue]
>| Howdy All!
>|
>| I must admit that the more I use and learn JavaScript, the more
>| convinced I am that it is one of the most expressive languages I know.
>|
>| Without ways to access file i/o or databases though, can JavaScript be
>| considered as a serious general purpose language?[/color]

Javascript client-side can only deal with the contents of the webpage.
Nothing more, nothing less.

Javascript server-side allows you to access files, databases etc.

On a web page you will probably use both types. Server-side to
retrieve data from a file/database. Client-side to display
calculations and validate the users inputs.
---------------------------------------------------------------
jnorth@yourpant sbigpond.net.au : Remove your pants to reply
---------------------------------------------------------------

[Douglas Crockford]

Re: JavaScript as a general purpose programming language?

> I must admit that the more I use and learn JavaScript, the more[color=blue]
> convinced I am that it is one of the most expressive languages I know.[/color]

I agree with you.
[color=blue]
> Without ways to access file i/o or databases though, can JavaScript be
> considered as a serious general purpose language?[/color]

The C Programming Language does not have file I/O. I/O is provided by external
libraries such as stdio. In embedded applications, C is sometimes outfitted with
radially different I/O packages.

In browser applications, the runtime environment is provided by the browser.
Since it is expected to run guest code, and because the web is completely
lacking in systematic security, that environment is extremely limited.

JavaScript can be used in a more general fashion. See Microsoft's WSH or IBM's
Sash for examples.

http://www.crockford.com/javascript/javascript.html