rayan@AI.TORONTO.EDU (Rayan Zachariassen) (05/05/89)
In article <656@pitstop.West.Sun.COM> rvollum@sun.com (Rob Vollum) writes:
# ..., because Lisp is a great language. I've just recognized
# that UNIX (as an OS) has alot of good functionality as well, that you
# just won't find on a LispM. What's really needed is a good Lisp programming
# environment (for program development/debugging) on top of a real OS (that
# manages filesystems, networks, users, etc).
Indeed, but that is only half the problem. The other half is the software
equivalent of a "Delivery Vehicle" environment, namely some way of providing
Lisp applications that doesn't require a 5 megabyte binary to do a /bin/cat
equivalent. I'd like to see the Lisp runtime environment put into a shared
library (& the compiler modified to make use of this), along with a decent
and transparent GC implementation which doesn't promulgate the Moscow syndrome
(cruise missile 5 minutes from Moscow decides to start a 15-minute GC; this
being AI's contribution to de'tente). Given that, and a standard startup
environment a la C, I think you might start seeing some impressive Lisp-based
*system software* (license binary runtime environment for nominal or no cost,
charge for compiler and development environment). It really is a great
language for many purposes.
(Franz, Lucid, you listening??)
rayanthorn@godot.radonc.unc.edu (Jesse Thorn) (05/05/89)
In article <89May5.070055edt.39756@neat.ai.toronto.edu> rayan@AI.TORONTO.EDU (Rayan Zachariassen) writes: > >Indeed, but that is only half the problem. The other half is the software >equivalent of a "Delivery Vehicle" environment, namely some way of providing >Lisp applications that doesn't require a 5 megabyte binary to do a /bin/cat >equivalent. You really need some way of excluding development code from delivery code especially if you are doing commercial product development. It is really embarrassing to tell the client that half of the memory they need to buy for their machines is to support the compiler and editor. I believe that VAXLisp under VMS allows you to build "delivery" worlds sans development tools. Any others? Jesse Thorn Radiation Oncology UNC Hospitals at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27516 thorn@godot.radonc.unc.edu