REBOL For Dummies? (For Dummies (Computers))

Are you ready for an easier, more powerful Perl? REBOL, which is pronounced "rebel," stands for the Relative-Expression Builder Object Language. This cross-platform, object-oriented scripting language offers many of the benefits of Perl, plus its own unique set of strengths, including superior support for working with common Internet protocols and the ability to perform "natural language parsing." Aimed at the beginner, REBOL for Dummies is a worthy addition to the well-known Dummies series, and it's a comprehensible introduction to this very promising language.

This text does a particularly good job of showing how simple REBOL programming can be. (Of course, unless you already know Perl, you won't appreciate how much simpler development can be with REBOL.) It offers a good tour of REBOL basics, from getting up and running (the language is supported on 37 platforms) to basic script development. More advanced readers will probably chafe at the constant authorial intrusions (and endless puns for chapter headings), though they are completely within the bounds of the Dummies format.

This book does a good job of discussing the unique strengths of REBOL, such as its support for extremely simple network programming, not to mention how easy it is to work with HTTP, FTP, and e-mail protocols. By treating data streams as ports, REBOL makes it a snap to work with files, regardless of whether they are local or remote. REBOL's support for objects (again, a good deal easier than object-oriented Perl, it would seem) also is introduced. Short sections about programming on Web servers to deliver up dynamic Web pages will help you get started using REBOL for Web applications. Sections on dialects and natural language parsing, which are available in REBOL, point out some of the unique strengths of the language.

While it's too early to tell whether REBOL will become a real rival to the popular Perl or JavaServer Pages (JSP), REBOL for Dummies is a useful introduction to this scripting language that should be approachable to anyone, regardless of programming experience. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered:

• Introduction and overview of REBOL
• Console I/O
• Style guide for REBOL code
• Logic and flow control
• REBOL functions and objects
• Common series in REBOL (searching and sorting)
• Basic data types and expressions
• Reading and writing files and directories
• REBOL ports
• Math basics
• Natural-language parsing and grammar rules
• Networking with FTP, HTTP, POP, and SMTP
• Text-file databases
• Working with e-mail
• REBOL server-side Web development (Web pages, server logs, CGI)
• REBOL dialects
• Tips for common REBOL programming tasks