For Immediate Release
REBOL 2.0 Internet Messaging
Language
Spans More Than 15 Computing
Platforms
Provides a common language for the exchange and
interpretation of
network-based information. Available
Now.
UKIAH, Calif. – May 11, 1999 –
REBOL (pronounced “REB-ul”), the first in a new breed of
Internet messaging languages, today revolutionized the exchange and
interpretation of network-based information by allowing programs
authored in REBOL/core 2.0 to run on more than 15 popular computing
platforms without modification. The new version, released today by
REBOL Technologies, extends the language?s platform and operating
system independence and is available for free download at
www.rebol.com.
Carl Sassenrath, CEO and founder of REBOL Technologies and
creator of the Amiga multitasking operating system, said, “With
this release, REBOL Technologies continues its mission to simplify
computing in the Internet age. REBOL is a messaging language built
from the ground up to enable easier global network communication
between applications, computers and people. Seasoned programmers,
systems and network professionals — even novice developers — can
quickly put REBOL to use on a daily basis as a powerful, flexible
tool for a broad range of practical applications.”
Rebol/core 2.0 Packs a Robust Set of
Features
REBOL/core 2.0 is designed to be faster, more reliable, more
compact, and more consistent than the prior version. It’s less than
one half the size of version 1.0, has twice as many features, and
operates 35 times faster on average. Other REBOL/core 2.0 benefits
include:
- Full platform independence so
that programs built once can run without modification on most of
the popular systems, including BeOS, FreeBSD, Linux, Macintosh,
Amiga, SPARC, Windows 95/98/NT, and others; - Server-level power delivered to the hands of ordinary
users thanks to built-in network support
for common Internet protocols such as CGI, HTTP, FTP,
SMTP, POP3, NNTP, daytime, and finger; - A natural set of language features
supporting domain-specific dialecting as well as more
complete integration of data and functions easily understood by
humans (such as money, dates, time, email addresses, URLs,
etc.); - A common lexicon independent of any particular country
introducing a new, simple, international
method of distributed computing.
REBOL has very little syntax to learn; meaning that novice users
can learn its fundamentals through a short 10-step introduction and
become productive within hours. REBOL stores and transfers all of
its data as text, allowing it to be sent and received over email,
and viewed and edited with a simple text editor. Understanding of
networking technology or software structure is not required, making
the language especially attractive for the new and growing market
of independent and corporate Web developers that have entered the
industry from design, publishing, and other non-computer
backgrounds. For seasoned professionals, REBOL offers a smooth
learning curve for the performance of complex, sophisticated tasks
such as distributed object management or invention of new network
protocols.
REBOL Finds Early Acceptance in Developer
Community
According to Elan Goldman of Microworks LLC and a 2.0 beta
tester, “The combination of the new parse function together with
the new built-in CGI support really flies. I was able to convert
the long string returned from an HTTP server into a simple REBOL
list, which, with two lines of code, selected and validated the
credit card data. With just a few more lines, I automatically
generated either a personalized thank you message, or one informing
the customer of the credit card entry error. Now that?s a
productivity boost!”
REBOL Technologies encourages the open exchange of
REBOL-based content over its web site by supporting archives,
directories, and warehouses of scripts. Technical support by email
and an active mailing list are also available for the REBOL/core
user community. Since REBOL?s first general release six months ago,
the messaging language has attracted nearly 40,000 downloads
at www.rebol.com. The
company not only continues to distribute REBOL/core free of charge,
but will also offer a supported version, REBOL/Alliance 2.0 later
this Spring. It will include advanced CGI, LDAP support, calling of
external applications, browser plug-in and ODBC.
About REBOL Technologies
REBOL Technologies was incorporated by AmigaOS creator Carl
Sassenrath in March 1998. Based in Ukiah, Calif., the company
develops, markets, licenses and supports the REBOL network
messaging language.
REBOL challenges the common belief that software and
development languages must be complex in order to be productive.
Unlike alternative programming and scripting languages, REBOL
is human-centric rather
than computer-centric. By
harnessing the powerful capabilities of human-language expression
inherent in context-sensitive languages, REBOL breaks through the
barriers of computing complexity. The result: REBOL cuts
application solution lengths from thousands of lines of code to
hundreds. It improves productivity because it is easy-to-learn,
easy-to-customize, elegant, and robust. Typical REBOL applications
might be email processing, web page management, Internet searching,
file transfer, or newsgroup processing.
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