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Aucbvax.1649 fa.apollo utzoo!duke!decvax!ucbvax!TAW@SU-AI Fri Jun 12 09:43:40 1981 Star As I understand it, the Star comes with a somewhat low-power programming language called CUSP. This is the only programming facility available to the user. Rumor has it (and it would not surprise me) that there is an extensive Mesa development system that could be run on the Star, but is destined to never leave the hallowed halls of Xerox. (If I am wrong on any of this I will cheerfully accept correct information from our friends at Xerox who are reading this)

Apparently the reasoning behind this involves consistancy in system software. If you don't give the users (who aren't supposed to be programmers to begin with) access to the system programming language, and armor-plate the language that you do give them, they can't do themselves or the system any harm. Also, if you want a new system application, you must ask Xerox to make it for you. Thus it will be written properly (I am not being sarcastic here. There is a lot to be said for this approach when your target market is composed of non-programmers). Xerox doesn't want to find themselves in the position of supporting outside software, because outsiders don't have the information and the methodology to write that software in a consistant manner with the rest of the Star system.

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