ActiveTcl, ActivePerl

ActiveState has released ActiveTcl 8.5 and ActivePerl 5.10.0 Build 1001. The latest release of ActiveTcl comes in conjunction with the official release by the Tcl Core Team of version 8.5.0 of the Tcl dynamic language and the Tk GUI toolkit. Tcl (pronounced 'tickle') is a powerful and easy to learn dynamic programming language suitable for a wade array of uses -- from Web and desktop applications to networking and administration. ActiveTcl is available for Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, and Microsoft Windows.

"We are are pleased to release a faster, smarter and more powerful version of ActiveTcl." says Jeff Hobbs, senior Tcl developer and director of the Languages Business Division at ActiveState, "Developers will benefit from new core support for arbitrary-precision integers, a new theming engine and widgets, and numerous other changes to better integrate existing language features in more cohesive ways".

ActiveTcl 8.5 offers both improved performance and new programmer conveniences, according to ActiveState. Already based on a high-performance byte-compiled runtime, ActiveTcl 8.5 runs 10 percent faster than the previous version due to bytecode optimizations, object caching, and reduced memory usage. Developers also benefit from richer time and date tools including year-2038 compliance, and a simpler module packaging standard. Numerous other changes better integrate existing language features in more cohesive ways.

ActivePerl 5.10.0 Build 1001

The latest release of ActivePerl is designed to serve as a complete ready-to-install Perl distribution for Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, AIX, and Microsoft Windows. A free version of the software includes core Perl, popular modules, the Perl Package Manager (PPM), and complete documentation.

"We have been looking forward to this release of ActivePerl 5.10.0 for some time, and with the 20th Anniversary of Perl, the timing couldn't be better", says Jan Dubois, senior Perl developer at ActiveState "There are so many new features like the new switch statement and the regexp enhancement, and Beta feedback from the ActiveState Perl community has been really positive".

ActivePerl 5.10.0 Build 1001 features a new smart-matching operator, which compares two expressions with each other and provides more concise syntax for many matching operations.

by MacNN Staff