steve@thumper.UUCP (03/08/87)
Earlier I asked the group what they thought of Turbo Prolog. Most of you don't seem to like it. I'd like to buy the least expensive Prolog that is a Real Prolog for my IBM PC (boy, is that a fuzzy set, or what?). Suggestions would be very useful. Thanks. -- -Steve Miller ihnp4!bellcore!thumper!steve "The Fantasy Factory" is a trademark of Image Space, a New Jersey corporation.
randyg@iscuva.UUCP (03/09/87)
In article <473@thumper.UUCP> steve@thumper.UUCP writes: >Earlier I asked the group what they thought of Turbo Prolog. Most >of you don't seem to like it. I'd like to buy the least expensive >Prolog that is a Real Prolog for my IBM PC (boy, is that a fuzzy >set, or what?). Suggestions would be very useful. > >Thanks. >-- > > -Steve Miller ihnp4!bellcore!thumper!steve I have used both Turbo and Arity Prolog, and frankly, I prefer Arity. Type checking really isn't a problem. Since true orthogonal polymorphism isn't present in EITHER implementation, you have to do it anyways. Turbo requires it at compiletime, whereas you have to use a separate Alint program to detect type mismatches in Arity. This is handy if you are trying to debug a program that may have bugs in areas you DON'T want to fix immediately(Turbo always stops at each error for confirmation). The true usefulness of Arity is due to its 1 Gigabyte virtual memory, and built in b-tree, hashing and linked list predicates. Even if you don't need the power of a full Edinburgh prolog(which Arity is, and more!), Its probably the cheapest (and most powerful) royalty free database you can incorporate into a PC program. Turbo is good if you are doing small stuff, and don't have any need for meta- circular programming( which almost always means non AI work ), but if you have never experienced the freedom and creativity of a true edinburgh prolog, you are missing one of the great joys in life. Turbo is a dull, difficult slogging language by comparison. (Borland's stuff really hums, tho ... its several times as fast as Arity). Randy Gordon "Tao kou tse fun pee"
trent@cit-vax.UUCP (03/11/87)
In article <473@thumper.UUCP> steve@thumper.UUCP writes: >Earlier I asked the group what they thought of Turbo Prolog. Most >of you don't seem to like it. I'd like to buy the least expensive >Prolog that is a Real Prolog for my IBM PC (boy, is that a fuzzy >set, or what?). Suggestions would be very useful. Has anyone out there heard of/used a thing called "Wisdom Prolog". (it's mentioned in the back of "The Art of Prolog" by Sterling & Shapiro. It's put out by MIT Press, or so I gather) It's about $100 for PC versions. (IBM/Mac/Amiga) They also mention VMS and Unix versions. Any comments on it? BTW, I'm not affiliated with anybody, so... -- "Party until it hurts; then, party 'til it don't hurt no more." ../ray\.. (trent@csvax.caltech.edu, rat@caltech.bitnet, ...seismo!cit-vax!trent)
devinney@sunybcs.UUCP (03/11/87)
In article <473@iscuva.UUCP> randyg@iscuva.UUCP (Randy Gordon) writes: > > >In article <473@thumper.UUCP> steve@thumper.UUCP writes: >>Earlier I asked the group what they thought of Turbo Prolog. Most >>of you don't seem to like it. I'd like to buy the least expensive > >I have used both Turbo and Arity Prolog, and frankly, I prefer Arity. > > >The true usefulness of Arity is due to its 1 Gigabyte virtual memory, and >built in b-tree, hashing and linked list predicates. Even if you don't need >the power of a full Edinburgh prolog(which Arity is, and more!), Its probably >the cheapest (and most powerful) royalty free database you can incorporate >into a PC program. > And you can start with the basic Arity Interpreter (I think as cheap as turbo) and add other things in the ARITY package if/when you need them: Interpreter/Compiler Screen Design Predicates File Transfer Package SQL (Structured Query Language) Expert Systems Development Pkg I have found particularly that SQL and Screen Design Predicates make data base applications a snap. Disclaimer: No affiliation with ARITY except as a satisfied user of PROLOG. -- UUCP : {cmcl2,hao,harpo}!seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!devinney | ...{allegra,decvax,watmath}!sunybcs!devinney | ARPA : devinney%buffalo@csnet-relay | BITNET : devinney@sunybcs |
todd@uhccux.UUCP (The Perplexed Wiz) (03/16/87)
In article <2578@sunybcs.UUCP> devinney@gort.UUCP (George DeVinney) writes: >And you can start with the basic Arity Interpreter (I think as >cheap as turbo) and add other things in the ARITY package >if/when you need them: The list price for the Arity Prolog Interpreter (API) is around $400. However, Arity Corp. gives very deep and generous discounts to educational institutions. If you are part of a university, give Arity a call and talk to them about their discount program before buying. They also have a $100 scaled down version of API for "students." I have not seen this student version....todd -- Todd Ogasawara, U. of Hawaii Computing Center UUCP: {ihnp4,seismo,ucbvax,dcdwest}!sdcsvax!nosc!uhccux!todd ARPA: uhccux!todd@nosc.ARPA INTERNET: todd@UHCC.HAWAII.EDU
devinney@sunybcs.UUCP (George DeVinney) (03/17/87)
In article <382@uhccux.UUCP> todd@uhccux.UUCP (The Perplexed Wiz) writes: >In article <2578@sunybcs.UUCP> devinney@gort.UUCP (George DeVinney) writes: >>And you can start with the basic Arity Interpreter (I think as >>cheap as turbo) and add other things in the ARITY package >>if/when you need them: > >The list price for the Arity Prolog Interpreter (API) is around $400. $350 from ARITY but I've seen it for $309 from mail order houses. (Check AI Expert Mag). >not seen this student version....todd ARITY sells what they call 'Standard Prolog' for $95 - $79 from mail order. I have not seen it either but the info with the full interpreter looks like it (standard) has most of the Clocksin/Mellish predicates - at least it has the ones for manipulating clauses (arg, functor, clause) which are needed for serious symbolic manipulations. I believe TURBO does not have these. (And ARITY has no typing requirements). I don't think you need to be a student to buy it but it seems aimed at someone who wants to learn PROLOG before deciding if they want to invest more. I don't imagine you can distribute applications you develop with the standard or interpreter only since it would need the interpreter to run. ARITY has a BBS at: 617-369-5622 for ordering, questions or to try an on-line PROLOG demo. They can be called voice at 617-371-1243. Opinion: If you're interested in learning REAL PROLOG and having a lot of utility at your disposal by spending a few bucks more later, go with ARITY. Disclaimer: No affiliation with anybody except myself. I wish that were not true as I will be graduating soon. -- UUCP : {cmcl2,hao,harpo}!seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!devinney | ...{allegra,decvax,watmath}!sunybcs!devinney | ARPA : devinney%buffalo@csnet-relay | BITNET : devinney@sunybcs |