[net.lang] ICON

whm (04/01/83)

The UNIX implementation of Icon is available from the Computer
Science Department of The University of Arizona.  This implemen-
tation runs on VAX UNIX systems and split I/D PDP-11 V7 UNIX
systems.  The system includes both an interpreter and a compiler
for Icon.  Complete source code for all system components is
included.  To get an Icon system, specify the following where
applicable:

	Your Name
	Address
	Organization
	Telephone
	Network Address
	Desired tape density (800 or 1600 bpi)

and send a tape at least 600 feet long (or check/money order for $15
payable to The University of Arizona) to:

	Icon Project
	Department of Computer Science
	The University of Arizona
	Tucson, AZ  85721

The current release, v5g, is brand new and we've just started
distributing it.  There have been no major changes since the
v5v release, but a number of minor enhancements have been made.

For those who may not be familiar with Icon, Icon is a high-level
general-purpose programming language that emphasizes string and
structure processing.  Icon bears a heritage from SNOBOL4 and
SL5 and is partly the result of attempts to improve these languages
and correct some of their notable defects.  We believe that Icon
fills a gap in the hierarchy of languages available under UNIX.

A book on Icon, "The Icon programming language" is available from
Prentice-Hall.  The book is excellent and can almost certainly
turn anyone into a competent Icon programmer.

We are in the process of setting up an electronic mailing list
to discuss Icon related topics.  We will start out distributing
this list via CSNET, thus, people on CSNET and the ARPANET will
be able to participate.  If you'd like to be on the list, drop
a note to icon-group-request.arizona@rand-relay.  We don't really
have any idea how things will go, but we've been sitting on the
fence about this for quite some time, so we're going to go ahead
and give it a spin.

We are maintaining an electronic mailbox, arizona!icon-project (Usenet),
icon-project.arizona@rand-relay (CSNET/ARPANET) for Icon questions and
problems.  Currently, we have uucp connections to kpno, mcnc, purdue, and
utah-cs.

There is a short (10 page, ~20k chars) document that provides an
overview of the Icon language.  If there is sufficient interest,
I'll post it to net.sources.

					Bill Mitchell
					arizona!whm
					whm.arizona@rand-relay
					602-626-3685

whm (05/20/83)

Icon is available from the Computer Science Department of The
University of Arizona.  Version 5 of Icon is currently available
for VAXs and PDP-11s (split i/d) running UNIX.  Version 5
is also available for ONYX C8002 systems, but is not directly
obtainable from the U of A.

Distribution information can be obtained by mailing to:
	{kpno,mcnc,purdue,ucbvax,utah-cs}!arizona!icon-project
	icon-project.arizona@rand-relay
	
Nroff source for an overview of Icon was distributed on net.sources
a few weeks ago.  Information about Icon documentation can be
obtained by mailing to the above addresses.

					Bill Mitchell
					Icon Project
					The U of Arizona

wasser@viking.DEC (John A. Wasser) (10/16/85)

> Has anyone out in netland heard of icon oriented languages ?
>		-Steve Sanderson

	Two examples can be found on the Macintosh:

		CHIPWITS (from BrainWorks) is a game where robots are
		programmed by laying out a series of graphic "chips"
		in a fixed size "panel".  The chips represent operations
		as "push a constant on the number stack", "rotate
		45 degrees left" or "feel the square directly in front
		of you and branch if it's a wall".  Chips are connected
		by arrows showing flow of control (conditionals have
		a TRUE arrow and a FALSE arrow).  The programmed robots
		are then sent out into one of a selection of mazes to
		rack up points by eating good things, destroying bad and
		exploring the maze.

		HELIX (from Odesta) is a relational database where
		selection and reporting programs are represented by
		"tiles" that are connected by arrows.  The tiles are
		not limited to a fixed grid like in ChipWits.  I'm
		not as familiar with this program as I have only seen
		it in demonstrations (never used it myself).

		-John A. Wasser

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