Python vs. VBScript vs. JavaScript in context of Windows ScriptingHost?

Andy Baker andy at andybak.net
Sat May 15 15:12:10 EDT 2004


As far as I know all windows scripting host (WSH) languages are allowed to
access the same object models so there shouldn't be any limitations on what
you can do from Javascript.

As a bonus I have found the MSDN documentation reasonable language neutral.

Javascript is quite a tidy little language in some ways!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: python-list-bounces+andy=andybak.net at python.org 
> [mailto:python-list-bounces+andy=andybak.net at python.org] On 
> Behalf Of John Benson
> Sent: 15 May 2004 20:01
> To: python-list at python.org
> Subject: Python vs. VBScript vs. JavaScript in context of 
> Windows ScriptingHost?
> 
> Hi, I'm in a tightly-secured environment where I may not be 
> allowed to use Python for some scripting work, and may have 
> to fall back on what came with Windows 2K.
> 
> I'm cracking "VBScript in a Nutshell" from O'Reilly, and have 
> found a number of disappointments:
> 
> * can't find "Introspection" in the Index
> * no record types, just numerically-indexed arrays, so record 
> handling is kludgy
> * zero-based array indexing (this is Basic?)
> * script debugger is slanted towards debugging VBScript 
> inside Internet Explorer
> * "on error resume next" pretty much sums up the error handling
> * truly bizarre use of parentheses to override argument 
> passing by reference in a completely nonobvious context
> 
> It looks pretty weak compared to Python, but I may not have 
> the luxury of Python in this situation.
> 
> Here's the question: If JavaScript is available to me within 
> the Windows Scripting Host, can it do everything that 
> VBScript can? My JavaScript documentation (the O'Reilly rhino 
> book) is "client-side scripting"-centric, and as such accepts 
> the limitations on file manipulation imposed by the 
> client-side security scruples. Can anyone recommend a 
> reference on JavaScript as an expedient replacement for 
> Python within the context of the Windows Scripting Host?
> 
> I know this isn't the real concern of this forum, but I know 
> there are a lot of experienced generalists out there whose 
> experience I would like to tap.
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
> 
> 
> 
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