Extraction from "ftp://ftp.pvv.unit.no/pub/regina/comp.lang.rexx/FAQ.ascii"



A. What Is REXX?

     REXX is a programming language designed by Michael Cowlishaw
     of IBM UK Laboratories.  In his own words:  "REXX is a
     procedural language that allows programs and algorithms to
     be written in a clear and structured way."
     REXX doesn't look that different from any other procedural
     language.  Here's a simple REXX program:

          /* Count some numbers */

          say "Counting..."
          do i = 1 to 10
              say "Number" i
          end

     What makes REXX different from most other languages is that
     it is also designed to be used as a macro language by
     arbitrary application programs.  The idea is that
     application developers don't have to design their own macro
     languages and interpreters.  Instead they use REXX as the
     macro language and support the REXX programming interface.
     If a REXX macro comes across an expression or function call
     that it cannot resolve, it can ask the application to handle
     it instead.  The application only has to support the
     features that are specific to it, freeing the developer from
     handling the mundane (and time-consuming) task of writing a
     language interpreter.  And if all applications use REXX as
     their macro language, the user only has to learn one
     language instead of a dozen.