Carl Sassenrath
4-Mar-1997
As was expressed in Back to Personal Computing (Jan-97), we are striving toward taking control of our own computer future. We are rejecting the notion that modern software has to be more complex in order to be more useful. We are opposing the trend that enslaves us to our computers, rather than being their masters. We are fighting the claim that software and hardware must be continuously upgraded in order to function productively.
We do not accept the status-quo. We haven't seen the benefits of over-rated operating systems and application programs which are now hundreds of times larger, require ever greater computing power, and have become more prone to problems, bugs, and crashes. We no longer buy the hype -- now recognizing the garbage that is being packaged by ever-growing mindless, faceless bureaucracies.
I guess that makes us just a bunch of rebels! With that idea in mind, perhaps it is fitting for our new solution-oriented language, previously known as LAVA, to be given the new name of REBOL (spelt upper-case and pronounced as the noun 'rebel', with an 'e' sound as in 'set').
As much as we liked the name LAVA, it was creating far too many problems for a name which had been public for only a month. We have performed numerous Internet searches and found REBOL to be unique in the computer field (which is why we did not use Rebel... among other things it is the name of a popular German Chess program).
Other than the name change, all of the objectives of REBOL remain the same. The language was designed to be of benefit to a wide range of users, from novices to experienced programmers. A beginner can start writing simple scripts within a few minutes, yet sophisticated programmers will soon discover the true depth and power of REBOL's semantics. And, there is a smooth transition between the two.
REBOL was developed to strike a balance between:
More information about REBOL will be posted to our web site as it develops. The documents removed from the site will be updated and reposted as time permits, and the first installment of the REBOL Reference Manual is on its way.
Unfortunately, due to many of these recent activities, the Alpha version of REBOL targeted for release on March 1 has been delayed. Rather than making any further promises to you right now, please monitor our web site for release announcements.
Send comments to: REBOL@sassenrath.com
Contributions are needed. Please send them to:
Carl Sassenrath, PO Box 264, Calpella, CA 95418
A First Virtual account is also being set-up.
Watch
www.sassenrath.com
for more information.
REBOL is a trademark of Carl Sassenrath
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