We have a set of automation tasks which are spread across both HP3000
and HP9000 systems.  As a consequence, we have been evaluating scripting
tools which are available in both environments.

While Posix shell scripts can do a lot, they are somewhat limited and
rather slow in execution.  One of our requirements is that the scripts
be easily read and modified by technically savvy NON-programmers.  This
means staff that can script in MPE command language (IF/WHILE/SETVAR,
etc.) or Visual Basic for Applications, but not C or Java.   We have
considered Perl, but it's somewhat cryptic syntax concerns us.

Which leads us to take another hard look at Python, favorably mentioned
by Gavin Scott of Allegro in past discussions about a year ago.  We
downloaded the interpreter from Allegro's web site but we notice it is
several versions behind what is available for HP-UX (1.2 vs. 1.5)

Gavin, have you considered porting the latest 1.5 version to MPE/iX?
And/or, have you tried to get the Java based version JPython running
with Java/iX?  The version of this on the python.org web site seems to
need an X-terminal to be installed which we don't have access to.  If
you have the JPython interpreter running on MPE/iX could you put up on
Allegro's web site a package for downloading?

This may seem like I'm putting Gavin on the spot with these requests,
but given your previously enthusiastic comments about Python I hope they
do not seem unfair :).

Any all comments about Python and/or scripting solutions are welcome.

Rob Joseph
The NPD Group
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