Xref: utzoo comp.ai:2148 comp.lang.prolog:1211 comp.lang.lisp:1080 Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!sco!johnwe From: johnwe (John Weber, Celtic sysmom) Newsgroups: comp.ai,comp.lang.prolog,comp.lang.lisp Subject: Re: How do I learn about AI, Prolog, and/or Lisp Summary: DON'T buy turbo prolog Keywords: AI Prolog Lisp Turbo Prolog Message-ID: <952@scovert.sco.COM> Date: 22 Aug 88 21:03:24 GMT References: <398@mfgfoc.UUCP> Reply-To: johnwe (John Weber, Celtic sysmom) Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. Lines: 84 In article <398@mfgfoc.UUCP> mike@mfgfoc.UUCP (Mike Thompson) writes: <...> >I have three question which I hope one of you can answer: > >1. I have an IBM/XT at home with the newest version of TURBO PROLOG. >Can I use this system to gain an understanding of AI applications >such as expert systems? If so, what books can help me? I have not >seen Turbo Prolog mentioned in this newsgroup and I fear that >it is considered by experts to be a toy Prolog or an implementation >so neutered as to be worthless. (Creak... Damn, this asbestos suit is getting stiff... ZIP! Humm... Enough nitrogen. Hisssss... POP! Foosh...) My exerence with Turbo "Prolog" was extermely negative. It may be a useful language, but I kinda doubt it. It doesn't support such things as asserting predicates into the data base, the syntax isn't C&M, and it is strongly typed. It is also extremely slow. (Click.) If you can get a hold of C-Prolog or SB-prolog, they are quite acceptable and useful implementations. These are for UN*X. Arity Prolog is a good commercial prolog for the IBM PCish boxes. >2. Does anyone know of classes offered in my area (I live in Los Altos, >California) at local colleges which would teach me Prolog? I have already >checked local community colleges, but their classes are only on >languages such as Fortran, Cobal, Pascal or 'C'. Would I be better taking >a more general class on AI instead of a specific language? Should I >consider Lisp over Prolog? (It came with GNU Emacs and is available on >my Unix system at work.) Lisp and Prolog address different language issues, and are both good and useful languages. Prolog is quite different from most "normal" languages, and may pose certain learning difficulties. My personal favorite Lisps are Kyoto Common Lisp and MIT C-Scheme. They are for UN*X, again. There is a Scheme dialect for Macs, but I've never played with it. Microsoft has a Lisp for MS-DOS (supposedly it is Common Lisp, but again, I haven't played with it). Emacs Lisp is useful in the context of Emacs, but I don't think it would make a good way to learn lisp. I personally like Lisp more than I like Prolog, but that is a taste thing. Lisp can also be much faster. Oh, are you on a 4.* BSD box? If so, there may be Franz Lisp floating around your bin directories. Sun also has a really good Lisp package (or so I'm told). I thought De Anza Jr. College offered an AI class which taught Lisp, but it's been a while since I took a class there. >3. What is the best way to get introduced to the AI field? I'm I >taking the right approach? Any comments would be appreciated. > >Thanks in advance. > No sweat. >Mike Thompson > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Michael P. Thompson FOCUS Semiconductor Systems, Inc. >net: (sun!daver!mfgfoc!engfoc!mike) 570 Maude Court >att: (408) 738-0600 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 USA Please note: these are my own opinions, and in no way reflect the opinions of my employers. -- ############################################################################# # # # # "In the fields of Hell, # John Weber, ...!uunet!sco!johnwe # # where the grass grows high, # @ucscc.ucsc.EDU:johnwe@sco.COM # # are the graves of dreams, # # # allowed to die." -- Author unknown # Celtic sysmom with an ATTITUDE! # # # Any opinions expressed are my own # #############################################################################