4 ms·

Hypercard is really kind of like the first implementation of HTML5. With applescript instead of javascript.

jandrese 7mo ago
I mused about the idea of a version of Hypercard where you could load cards from network resources, or even just stacks. Ultimately though it would have been an even bigger security nightmare than the original Javascript. Hypercard was developed long before security was even a consideration on consumer hardware. The only thing it had was 5 different access levels, from a view only mode to full developer support. It's as much of a fantasy as the one where Apple released a version of Hypercard for Windows 3.1 and blew Qbasic out of the water. It's a real shame Apple just chucked one of the most interesting beginner programming environments in the trash just as so many new people were getting interested in programming.
- DonHopkins 7mo ago
  HyperLook was inspired by HyperCard and implemented for the NeWS window system in PostScript, and supported networking. I used it to implement SimCity for Unix. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeWS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeWS SimCity, Cellular Automata, and Happy Tool for HyperLook (nee HyperNeWS (nee GoodNeWS)) HyperLook was like HyperCard for NeWS, with PostScript graphics and scripting plus networking. Here are three unique and wacky examples that plug together to show what HyperNeWS was all about, and where we could go in the future! https://donhopkins.medium.com/hyperlook-nee-hypernews-nee-goodnews-99f411e58ce4 https://donhopkins.medium.com/hyperlook-nee-hypernews-nee-go... Alan Kay on “Should web browsers have stuck to being document viewers?” and a discussion of Smalltalk, HyperCard, NeWS, and HyperLook: https://donhopkins.medium.com/alan-kay-on-should-web-browsers-have-stuck-to-being-document-viewers-and-a-discussion-of-news-5cb92c7b3445 https://donhopkins.medium.com/alan-kay-on-should-web-browser...
  - scroot 7mo ago
    I knew I could get Don Hopkins to show up!
- deleted 7mo ago
  [deleted]
- jasomill 7mo ago
  The access levels are just for editing stacks, no different than editing other files on a local PC, sort of like protection in an Excel spreadsheet. Interacting with network stacks via Apple Events and file sharing supported users and passwords, so at least considered security.
duskwuff 7mo ago
Not quite AppleScript, but its own similar language, HyperTalk. (Some later versions of HyperCard also supported AppleScript, but it was rarely used.)

I mused about the idea of a version of Hypercard where you could load cards from network resources, or even just stacks. Ultimately though it would have been an even bigger security nightmare than the original Javascript. Hypercard was developed long before security was even a consideration on consumer hardware. The only thing it had was 5 different access levels, from a view only mode to full developer support. It's as much of a fantasy as the one where Apple released a version of Hypercard for Windows 3.1 and blew Qbasic out of the water. It's a real shame Apple just chucked one of the most interesting beginner programming environments in the trash just as so many new people were getting interested in programming.

DonHopkins 7mo ago
HyperLook was inspired by HyperCard and implemented for the NeWS window system in PostScript, and supported networking. I used it to implement SimCity for Unix. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeWS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeWS SimCity, Cellular Automata, and Happy Tool for HyperLook (nee HyperNeWS (nee GoodNeWS)) HyperLook was like HyperCard for NeWS, with PostScript graphics and scripting plus networking. Here are three unique and wacky examples that plug together to show what HyperNeWS was all about, and where we could go in the future! https://donhopkins.medium.com/hyperlook-nee-hypernews-nee-goodnews-99f411e58ce4 https://donhopkins.medium.com/hyperlook-nee-hypernews-nee-go... Alan Kay on “Should web browsers have stuck to being document viewers?” and a discussion of Smalltalk, HyperCard, NeWS, and HyperLook: https://donhopkins.medium.com/alan-kay-on-should-web-browsers-have-stuck-to-being-document-viewers-and-a-discussion-of-news-5cb92c7b3445 https://donhopkins.medium.com/alan-kay-on-should-web-browser...
- scroot 7mo ago
  I knew I could get Don Hopkins to show up!
deleted 7mo ago
[deleted]
jasomill 7mo ago
The access levels are just for editing stacks, no different than editing other files on a local PC, sort of like protection in an Excel spreadsheet. Interacting with network stacks via Apple Events and file sharing supported users and passwords, so at least considered security.

duskwuff 7mo ago

Not quite AppleScript, but its own similar language, HyperTalk. (Some later versions of HyperCard also supported AppleScript, but it was rarely used.)