Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ncar!gatech!purdue!haven!umd5!umd5.umd.edu!anderson From: anderson@sapir.cog.jhu.edu (Stephen R. Anderson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: Lisp on NeXT? Message-ID: Date: 30 Oct 90 20:27:46 GMT References: <275@autodesk.UUCP> Sender: news@umd5.umd.edu Distribution: comp Organization: Dept. of Cognitive Science, The Johns Hopkins University Lines: 39 I've gotten several replies to my inquiry about ACL on NeXT machines, so I thought I ought to post a summary of what I (think I) know at this point. No one seems to have any explanation of why ACL was unbundled from the new release. Or at least no one has mentioned one (apart from the obvious suggestion that someone decided it was too much for their company - whether NeXT or Granz is unclear) to give away. Franz ACL has no corporate connection with Macintosh ACL, currently distributed by APDA (bought from Coral). Franz ACL 4.0 will include full CLOS support. It will be available any day now for Suns, and "will *definitely* be available for the NeXT." (quote from someone at Franz, no timetable specified). On the other hand, contrary to what several people told me, this will NOT be available free on NeXTs, educational or otherwise. The only product that educational users still get free but which is unbudled for others is Mathematica. ACL will cost $1500, with 50% academic discount. Franz also has an extensive development environment built around ACL, called Composer, and an interface builder called Allegro Common Windows. Both of these run on Suns, but there are no plans to port them to the NeXT. The current version of Franz (3.something), without CLOS, is also available for Macs. On the other hand, "there are no current plans to port ACL 4.0 to the MAC, although this may change." Franz' lack of interest in pursuing the Mac market may possibly derive from the success (and relative low cost) of the "native" MACL product, though it should be mentioned that there is apparently no other commercially supported Common Lisp that runs on Macs under A/UX. Steve Anderson Dept. of Cognitive Science The Johns Hopkins University