The good people at Google Blogoscope have done a story about the new scripting capabilities being added to Google apps. As seen below there are screenshots and examples:
But the keypoint is that Google Apps scripting language will be JavaScript. It is not immediately clear which JavaScript engine is being used and what libraries Google will be adding to their JavaScript. Already other software vendors use JavaScript as a scripting language. For example, Adobe primarily through its Macromedia acquisitions uses JavaScript for Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Photoshop among other tools. Open Office, UltraEdit, Altova XMLSpy, IBM/Lotus, Oracle/Siebel are a scattering of other examples. Clearly, javaScript is regaining momentum as a general macro/scripting language.
Now Javascript as an app macro language has had its doubters including this party just a few years ago [leaning towards the emergence of Jython, Java-powered Python as a major contender for macro scripting honors]. But I failed to take into account 3 important factors:
1)the widespread use and familiarity with JavaScript among Web, Flash[through ActionScript] and hardcore developers using it as a macro language;
2)the rapid improvements in the speed of the basic JavaScript engines;
3)the vast improvement in the GUI and presentation capabilities of JavaScript as seen in its many new JavaScript frameworks.
The net result is expect to see JavaScript emerge as popular Macro/Srcripting tool over the next few years. The only flies in the ointment? There are already many diverse Javascripts and associated libraries – and the ECMAScript standard has been badly abused in the Web arena. The other “hidden” problem”, the next step up in JavaScript is a big one from Javascript 1.8 to 2.0 or ECMAScript 4.0. There has been a distinctly mixed reaction. The language goes rigorously OO-Object oriented, has a new events model, and breaks a lot of older OO-prototype code. Already, the development community has taken a go-slow, lets take a few more kicks of the tires approach to JavaScript. Others are delaying. So clearly Javascript is in the lead not only as1) Web development )language, 2)RAIA universal GUI Presentation framework, and now as 3)the leading macro/scripting language. Now the only problem is which JavaScript will be adopted not as the official standard but the practical working-in-the-field language for each of these major roles?