mwm@Okc-Unix (12/15/82)
From: Mike Meyer <mwm@Okc-Unix> First, an update on Lisp for CP/M-80. I talked to somebody at DRI, and they said that TLC lisp should be available in a couple of weeks. The had (VERY tentatively) planned on marketing the compiler/interpreter/editor for $350, but don't quote him. I also got somebody helpful at Lifeboat (surpise!), and Stiff Upper LISP sounded reasonable, so I ordered the manual. More on that when it comes in. Now, as to actually running Lisp on micro. Yes, I will never be able to run `real lisp' on my CP/M box, mostly due to the size of said Lisp systems. However, the questions isn't (as far as I am concerned) whether or not I can get a full Maclisp (or Interlisp or whatever) on my system, but whether I can get something that is better for doing the things I do on it than what I currently have. Since I can't get a `real gort' for any reasonable programming language [and I include C, my current choice - no CP/M C will give me fork/exec, a pair of important tools], I am trying to found the best tool I can. LISP looks like it could well do the job, so I am looking for the best LISP for CP/M. As for Lisp as a replacement for BASIC - full LISP is, of course, impossible. But something better than BASIC should be easy to do. In fact, the Supersoft LISP is a better language than most BASICs, and runs in 7K- on a CP/M system. Somebody said that I could get a `real lisp' for a VAX. I would appreciate pointers as to where. The Vaxen I use now have either Franz Lisp (VM Unix) or Interlisp-10 (Unix and VMS). The Franz Lisp is small & fast & isn't as nice an environment as LISP/80 (someday soon, I'm going to move an editor to it...) and Interlisp-10 is large & s/what buggy - and I don't have a manual. Pointers on that would also be helpfull. <mike P.S. - to all info-micro: I recently discovered that the dial-in lines at okc-unix like to eat lines of text, and have posted a couple of s/what incoherent messages. Sorry. <mike