Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!DONC@USC-ISIF From: DONC@USC-ISIF@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro.pc Subject: IQLISP Message-ID: <11851@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Mon, 19-Sep-83 14:19:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.11851 Posted: Mon Sep 19 14:19:00 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 26-Sep-83 03:09:22 EDT Lines: 35 From: Don.Cohen My experimentation with IQLISP (about 15 hrs of familiarization and mostly importing a system from CMULisp) and subsequent conversation with its author and vendor, Bob Rorschach indicate that the system is (will be) quite useful to real lispers. In general I was pleased by its performance. My only real worry was reliability: the system seemed prone to occasional catastrophic errors. Bob tells me that the version I was using (1.1) had some GC bugs that have been fixed, and could destroy random pointers, thereby causing arbitrary problems. He says the current version is much more reliable. On this score I simply have to take his word. My other complaints (which he was interested in correcting) were: No GC messages (easy to fix) No SORT function (easy to fix) Relatively primitive editor (can be gotten around since it's interpreted; an EVAL and macro facility would go a long way) Relatively primitive error handler (also interpreted code) Relatively primitive top-level (easy to put in your own) "Relatively" means compared to the big lisps that we're used to. I'd say it's not surprising that IQLISP is less sophisticated. With just a little work, though, most of the useful functionality could be provided. The current system is $175, no longer $125 (still a bargain, I'd say). The next major release is expected in a few months. The big addition is a compiler. Also, this one will have case folding. My summary of IQLISP would be: 1. It's big enough (address space) and fast enough to get real work done. 2. It has enough of an environment to be quite livable. 3. It's a bargain - an IBM PC is worth getting in order to use it.