[OT] Is there a relationship between Xtalk languages and smalltalk?

[Wilhelm Sanke]

One of the xTalk languages not mentioned so far is "HyperPad" by 
Brightbill&Roberts with its script language "PadTalk".

HyperPad - the first Hypercard clone for the DOS-world - appeared about 
one year after Hypercard was released. Unfortunately, HyperPad never 
made it to the Windows world and consequently later disappeared.

HyperPad was a very powerful language with some features I still miss in 
Metacard and Revolution. It had an integrated data base, could include 
and produce C-externals and had a comprehensive and carefully written 
documentation (two big volumes that came free with the software for a 
price less than 100 US$ and left no questions open). The included help 
files and tutorials were very well designed (seen from an educational 
perspective). A look at them would be even beneficial for the Revolution 
team.

I remember my troubles when I had to migrate to "Toolbook": Many more 
script lines to write, syntax requirements that were much more 
complicated etc..-

A search reveals a number of hits (there is also another, but 
unreleated  product called "HyperPad") and even a still available 
version of HyperPad that is possibly of interest for those that want to 
investigate the development of xTalk languages and get an idea of the 
state of arts of quite a number of years ago.

Two addresses:

<http://www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0138.html>

from the web page:

"HyperPad

Brightbill-Roberts' HyperPad 2.2 is an inexpensive ($100) HyperCard 
<http://www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0154.html> clone for DOS text 
systems. The extensive installation (3.7 MB) includes 830 pages of 
documentation and an excellent on-line tutorial. Many sample scripts, 
clip art, and mini-applications are included. HyperPad is designed to be 
used out of the box as a DOS desktop utility kit. It is distributed as 
shareware <http://www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0029.html> so you can 
"try before you buy."

and

<http://www.megaiq.com/hyperpad/>

"HyperPAD:

Version 2.307
Last published in 1995 by IQ Technologies, Inc.
Originally developed and published by Brightbill-Roberts

For those who may wish to continue using this DOS based product it is 
being made available for downloading as a courtesy of MegaIQ.

     The download is a 1.4 mb self extracting archive file.
    Save the file to an empty folder.
    After downloading, double click on the file "hyperpad24.exe".
    This will extract two (2) files, "disk1.exe" and "disk2.exe".
    Each of these are self extracting archive files as well.
    Disk 1 and Disk 2 archives contain the files required to install 
HyperPAD.

    Devkit is the HyperPAD Developer's Kit and must be extracted into a 
different folder
    than the one used for disk1 and disk2 as it contains some files 
which have the same name.

    DOWNLOAD HyperPAD v. 2.3

    DOWNLOAD HyperPAD Developer's Kit".---

I downloaded this version, and it worked fine with Windows XP - with the 
exception that I had some troubles with my cordless mouse in the 
DOS-window that came up. But you can very well work with the keyboard 
and experience the old-time and at the same time modern way of  using  
an xTalk language.

As I  already said, have a look at the IDE and the carefully designed  
and integrated help files.

A number of stacks I offer today on my website  were originally 
developed with HyperPad.

Regards,

Wilhelm Sanke
<http://www.sanke.org/MetaMedia>