Why Rexx? (A) Used it for decades. (B) The latest Object Oriented Rexx has some nice things, e.g., SysFileTree to get a nice file of all the names in a directory tree. (C) Yup, I agree that could use more tools and not have to roll my own. (D) Sure, looked at PowerShell: Looks like it has some nice powerful features but a, uh, goofy syntax -- intend to do more, maybe a lot more, with it. (E) Lots of people are taking Python seriously, and for more than just a scripting language, e.g., maybe all the software for a significant Web site. Intend to devote a weekend to Python.
One little thing I did recently with Rexx was take an email message, all in just text, that had a Web page, as a MIME (multi-media Internet Mail Extensions or some such) Part, get the MIME part with the HTML, fix the email '=' characters used for splitting long lines, replaced some uses of special characters, and did get a Web page that Firefox would read. Worked? Yup. Elegant? Nope.
One little thing I did recently with Rexx was take an email message, all in just text, that had a Web page, as a MIME (multi-media Internet Mail Extensions or some such) Part, get the MIME part with the HTML, fix the email '=' characters used for splitting long lines, replaced some uses of special characters, and did get a Web page that Firefox would read. Worked? Yup. Elegant? Nope.