HyperTalk

A verbose semicompiled language by Bill Atkinson and Dan

Winkler, with loose syntax and high readability.

HyperTalk uses HyperCard as an object management system,

development environment and interface builder. Programs are

organised into "stacks" of "cards", each of which may have

"buttons" and "fields". All data storage is in

zero-terminated strings in fields, local, or global variables;

all data references are through "chunk expressions" of the

form:

'last item of background field

"Name List" of card ID 34217'.

Flow of control is event-driven and uses message-passing

among scripts that are attached to stack, background, card,

field and button objects.

Apple Computer has taken back distribution and maintenance of

HyperCard from Claris Corporation

["HyperTalk Language Reference Manual", A-W 1988].

(1994-11-17)