[comp.sys.amiga] Programming Language Information

sc1u#@andrew.cmu.edu.UUCP (04/23/87)

   Someone sent out a query on Wisdom Prolog a few weeks ago, out of
curiosity, I
sent mail to max@Wisdom.bitnet to get the scoop on Wisdom Prolog. Apparently
it isn't out yet, but the due date is in "Six weeks".

   Anyways...here's the information on Wisdom Prolog:
-----------

Received: from wisdom.bitnet by wiscvm.wisc.edu ; Wed, 22 Apr 87 06:30:13 CDT
From: Motti Goldberg <max%WISDOM.BITNET@@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 87 00:24:41 -0200
To: sc1u#@@andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: Re:  Wisdom Prolog



                WISDOM PROLOG
                *************

                The WISDOM prolog is one of the most powerful available TRUE
        prolog interpreters now on the market. 

                WISDOM's disk I/O reader is written in prolog, as is most of
        the interpreter, a fact that is of great importance to users who wish
        to change the program's shell or link it to other programs. 

                The interpreter is a full implementation of the Edinburgh
        standard, with a few add-ons & minor changes. 


                Many of the non-standard evaluable predicates are meant to be
        used for user-defined-shells, a strong feature of the interpreter
        which has already been used by users of the UNIX & VMS systems
        releases.
        Together with the standard-shell prolog-source, this feature could
        help users who wish to run expert-system program , call the
        interpreter from within their programs or vice-versa, or simply
change
        the interpreters' user-interface. 


        The WISDOM interpreter runs now under: 
        VAX-VMS, VAX-UNIX, ZILOG-S8000, AT&T, MOTOROLA, and MS-DOS/PC-DOS. 
        The Macintosh and Amiga versions will be released soon. Other
releases
        can be ordered if enough programs of that release will be purchased. 

                Users who wish to transfer state-files from one of the
various
        machines under which the WISDOM interpreter works, to another such
        system, (VAX to PC etc.) can purchase software for that purpose for
an
        extra $50. We will always keep our standard of possible transfer from
        one system to the other. However, we can not promise that all
versions
        will be state-compatible. 

        Future features: 
                1. A stronger and more powerful data base. 
                2. An interface to external data bases. 
                3. Integration with the SUN & VAX window-systems. 

        PC-special future feature: 
                A simple editor. - as the user can use his own editor via the
                                   'system' predicate, we see no reason to
                                   overload the system with a new
                                   full-featured editor. 

        DEBUGGER:
        *******

        The file deb.pl contains the Prolog code for the default debugger. 
        The file STDSTS is the standard default saved-file, also including
        deb.pl. If you want to write your own debugger, load the Prolog using
        one of the other STD files. 

        PC-SPECIALS: 
        ************

        Some I/O predicates have been added to the PC-version. 

        DIRECT INPUT: 

        kbhit                   - Check if key was pressed.
        getch(Code)             - Get character directly from keyboard,don't
                                  wait for <CR>, don't echo to screen. 
        getche(Code)            - Get character directly from keyboard, don't
                             wait for <CR>, echo to screen. 
        sound(Frequency)        - Make a sound at given frequency.
        nosound                 - stop sound.
        wait(Time)              - suspend execution for Time ms.



        INTERRUPT HANDLING: (PC release)
        ******************

                In order to let you use the '86 and DOS interrupts, WP has
        provided a set of predicates, letting you change registers' values
and
        invoking DOS and '86(88) interrupts. 



        Suplied STATE-files
        *******************

File name   |   SWM support  |  WM support  |   DEB.PL  |  Interrupts |
Locked

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
std1                +               -             -         -             -
std2                +               +             -         -             -
std3                +               +             +         -             +
stdsts              +               -             +         -             +
std&int             +               -             +         +             +




        RELEASE 2.00
        **************

        - Powerful Window Manager support. (PC version)

        - Automatic garbage collection mechanism. 

        - Floating-point and trigonometric-functions support. 

        - The reader's speed has been increased. 

        - The LIPS have been increased. 



Performance:
        PC - 0.5K LIPS
        SUN-2 - 4K LIPS  (SUN-3 should be 4 times faster)
        VAX-750 - 3K LIPS Over 150 system predicates. 

A compiler version is under development. 


VAX/SUN/UNIX machines' price - $1200

We estimate that the Amiga version will be ready in about 6 weeks. 

Thanks for your interest, Motti (Max)


------

   I think the price quoted in "The Art of Prolog" was $95.

   Since it's in the back of Ehud Shapiro's book, it may be construed as
an implicit endorsement. Oh well, we'll see in 6 weeks.

rossi@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (Lisa Rossi CATS) (05/07/87)

	Does anyone have information on and know who (company name, 
address, phone) is doing the Amiga version of WISDOM PROLOG ?


-- 


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