[net.lang.lisp] Implementing Scheme on under VAX/UNIX

ian@loral.UUCP (Ian Kaplan) (08/27/85)

   I would like to bring Scheme (the MIT dialect of LISP) up under
   VAX/UNIX.  Does any one have a Scheme interpreter that they could send
   me?  (Perhaps Scheme implemented on top of Franz LISP.)

   I have been reading Ableson and Sussman's book on programming.  The
   examples in the book are in Scheme and it would be nice to get a Scheme
   interpreter before I get to the later chapters (where the implementation
   of Scheme is covered).

   Thank you for your help,

		     Ian Kaplan
		     Loral Data Flow Group
		     Loral Instrumentation
		     (619) 560-5888 x4812
	     USENET: {ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sdcsvax!sdcc6!loral!ian
	     ARPA:   sdcc6!loral!ian@UCSD
	     USPS:   8401 Aero Dr. San Diego, CA 92123

davidson@sdcsvax.UUCP (Greg Davidson) (08/28/85)

In regard to the question of where to find implementions of Scheme
for VAX/UNIX (or other systems), I picked up a handy brochure at
IJ/CAI last week with the answers.  I'll summarize it here.  Any
elipses (...) or [comments in brackets] are mine.

		  Scheme Release Note #1

      Availability of the Scheme Programming Language

		  Revised: August 14, 1985

		 Scheme Development Team
	 c/o MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
		  545 Technology Square
		   Cambridge, MA 02139

MIT uses in its undergraduate curriculum a dialect of Lisp called Scheme
....  The book ``The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs''
by Abelson, Sussman, and Sussman (published jointly by MIT Press and by
McGraw-Hill) is based on this course and uses programs written in Scheme....

A standard for Scheme implementations is provided by the ``Revised Report
on Scheme'', which is published jointly by the MIT Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory and the Indiana University Department of Computer Science.  It
is available from MIT as MIT ARtificial Intelligence Laboratory Memo No.
848, August 1985....

This note summarizes the options that we know of for obtaining Scheme to
use in teaching and research.

. We can provide copies of the Scheme system that we use in our course
  at MIT, for people who can use the same hardware configuration, which
  is an enhanced version of a Hewlett-Packard 9836, which uses a 68000
  processor.

. We have also implemented a portable version of Scheme whose kernel
  interpreter is written in C.  This is intended primarily as a complete
  specification of Scheme that can be translated and/or optimized to run
  on a variety of machine architectures.  The C interpreter can also be
  run ``as is,'' and we can supply versions of Scheme that use this
  interpreter running on the Vax under either VMS or Berkeley Unix and
  under HPUX on HP series 9000 computers.  The system should also come
  up on any ASCII machine where a longword is 32 bits....

[ See info at the end for how to obtain either of these - JGD ]

There are other versions of Scheme besides the ones developed at MIT.
Although these are not completely compatible with the MIT versions, they
are close enough so that they can be used [with Abelson & Sussman^2].

. MacScheme is a commercially-available implementation of Scheme for
  the 512K Apple Macintosh....  MacScheme sells for $125....  ...write
  to:
	  Semantic Microsystems
	  1001 Bridgeway Suite 543
	  Sausalito CA 94965
	  (415) 332-8094

. PC Scheme (unofficial name) is ... being developed at Texas Instruments.
  It runs on the [TI and IBM PCs].   PC Scheme is still under development
  and is not available commercially.  However, [TI] will make [beta test]
  implementations available to [educational] institutions.   ...contact

	  Texas Instruments
	  PO Box 2909
	  Austin, Texas 78769
	  Attn: Scheme Product Center, M/S 2244

. Scheme84 [was developed] at Indiana University....  The Scheme84
  software is in the public domain, and can be obtained by writing to

	  Scheme84 Distribution
  	  Nancy Garrett c/o Dan Friedman
	  Department of Computer Science
	  Indiana University
	  Bloomington, INdiana
	  (812) 335-9770 (nig@indiana.arpa)

  ...Indiana University will supply [Scheme84] for free if you send
  them a tape and return postage.  (Please specify ... VMS or for Unix).

. T is a version of Scheme that was developed at Yale University, and
  is available for distribution.  The system runs on Vaxes under VMS or
  Unix (Berkeley 4.1 or 4.2) and on the Apollo Domain.  ...contact
  Jon Goodman at Yale (203-436-0802) or write to

	  Yale University Dept. of Computer Science
	  PO Box 2158
	  Yale Station
	  New Haven, CT 06520

  [ If I may put in a plug here, I consider T to be the best Scheme
    inspired Lisp, and in fact the nicest Lisp period.  I've used it
    extensively on the Vax, and would use nothing else if it were
    available for my Sun workstation. - JGD ]

. Chez Scheme is a version of Scheme for Vax Unix developed by Kent Dybvig
  while at the University of North Carolina....  For more information,
  call Kent Dybvig (919/942-0498), send electronic mail to
  ...!decvax!mcnc!unc!dyb (Usenet) or dyb.unc@csnet-relay (ARPA), or write to:

	  Kent Dybvig
	  Department of Computer Science
	  University of North Carolina
	  New West Hall (035A)
	  Chapel Hill, NC 27514

. Vincennes Scheme is a version of Scheme written entirely in portable C,
  for Unix V7 and Berkeley 4.1 and 4.2....  A compiler that generates C
  code is available.  For more information contact

	    Patrick Greussay
	    Universite Paris-8-Vincennes
	    2 rue de la Liberte
	    Saint-Denis CEDEX 02 93526
	    France

[ Here the note goes on to describe the MIT C Scheme Implementation in
  some detail.  I'll omit this.  It is noted that no editor is included,
  but mentions that any Emacs (Gosling, CCA or Gnu) should do nicely.
  Finally, it is explained how to obtain either of the MIT Scheme
  distributions ( C Scheme or 68000 Scheme ).  The MIT Scheme compiler
  is not currently included with either release. ]

The cost of a distribution tape is $200....  To obtain a copy of [ either
MIT Scheme] send a request to

	    Scheme Distribution
	    MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
	    545 Technology Square
	    Cambridge, Ma. 02139

[ Specify whether you want C Scheme or 68000 Scheme.  For C Scheme,
  simply send your check with your request.  For 68000 Scheme, ask
  for a licensing agreement, then send your check in with your
  completed licensing agreement. - JGD ]

-J. Greg Davidson		Virtual Infinity Systems, San Diego

davidson@sdcsvax.UUCP (Greg Davidson) (08/28/85)

I've been frustrated trying to find information on modern Lisps
available for UNIX systems and smaller micros.  I'm particularly
interested in Scheme or Common Lisps, and Lisps which have been,
or can easily be, ported to a variety of processors.  Examples
would include Lisps which compile to byte codes as well as Lisps
with easily modified code generators.

If you will send me any information you have on such Lisps, I will
merge it with the Scheme info I just posted and post a list-of-lisps
article.  If I get sufficient interest, I'll keep it updated and post
it periodically.

_J. Greg Davidson		Virtual Infinity Systems, San Diego