A good geek friend
of mine just warned me that AppleScript may be phased out when Apple
starts sandboxing OS X apps delivered through the App Store.
Never one to agree with friends, I am writing this post to give my opinion why this would not eventuate.
AppleScript has been an integral part of the Mac OS for many years.
Most personal Mac users may not even know about AppleScript, as it’s
default editor is hidden in the Utilities folder. I have, however, seen
it in use at large companies, who depend on it for creating streamlined,
automated workflows. Some geeks, like myself, think it is the best
thing since sliced bread and use it for automating large parts of our
business and personal computer usage.
The business usage should be reason enough alone why Apple would not
cut such an integral part of it’s operating system. Printing companies
that drop EPS files into folders to have them color separated and sent
to pre-press for CMYK plate making, while simultaneously emailing a PDF
copy of the same document to admin staff for confirmation, etc. That is
one of a million+ ways AppleScript is helping business large and small
automate their workflows. Dropping AppleScript might force them to look
at other OS’s, not something Apple would like to do.
The term “sandboxing” is the other reason I believe Apple would not
drop support for AppleScript from any apps. Applescript is just like an
API which apps need to build-in, so I’m assuming Apple would not care
what data people send TO the apps, rather what the apps can ACCESS on
the computer itself… i.e., Apple would not like apps delivered through
the App Store to have unapproved access to every file on your computer
(perhaps they will address this with asking your permission each time?).
This point does not really apply to AppleScript, as AppleScript support
is something which is programmed into an app to allow INCOMING requests
for information or action.
While AppleScript can also be used by developers inside an ordinary
OS X app to interact with the OS, Apple would likely apply the same
quality checking of these codes as it does to the Objective-C or other
code inside the app before approval to the App Store.
So there… that’s what I think!
