Clark Goble notes that, with the new iWork apps released yesterday, the AppleScript dictionary included in them has been so slimmed down it’s basically gone. He has screenshots showing the regression, and he concludes:

What I suspect Apple doesn’t realize is how much small business and small shops workflow depends upon AppleScript. Casual use is fine. But a lot of people do more. It wouldn’t be so bad were there an alternative. This isn’t just like Apple not upgrading the Mac Pro. This is like Apple not upgrading the Mac Pro for four years, then announcing that the Mac Mini is the new Mac Pro. And discontinuing FCPX, Aperture, and its other pro apps and telling you to use iPhoto and iMovie.

It’s baffling that the same company that brings these automation enhancements cuts AppleScript support in other Mavericks apps. Maybe the iWork team didn’t have the time to rework AppleScript support for the new apps. However, as Dr. Drang notes, it’s strange that AppleScript has been removed from apps that once had it.

I hope that Apple will put AppleScript back in a future update to iWork. I don’t want to think that Apple just doesn’t care about consumer apps also used by advanced users (with higher needs) anymore.