Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrcae!hubcap!gatech!purdue!decwrl!ucbvax!msdsws.DEC.COM!secrist
From: secrist@msdsws.DEC.COM ("Richard C. Secrist")
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Porting XLISP; ][ Languages
Message-ID: <8903102123.AA16292@decwrl.dec.com>
Date: 10 Mar 89 21:23:37 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 31


The latest incarnations of XLISP are too big to simply compile under C
and run on a ][-class machine within 64K.  It would be best to use an
earlier version of XLISP less than v2.0.  I know V1.4 fit under CP/M 2.2,
which has similar memory constraints to a ][-class machine, so that might
be the best place to start.  I've built V1.4 on a VAX under VMS no sweat,
using the DEC C, but never had the patience to MANX upon it for DOS 3.3.

As to the dearth of ][ languages, there are actually quite a few hiding
in the corners and/or inactively marketed by perhaps bankrupt companies --
although perhaps there aren't so many for ProDOS per se.  If you add a
cheap CP/M-80 card to an Apple though there is essentially no language
you can't get, even APL.  In fact if you have one of the Applicard 6 MHz
Z-80s you might run faster than an otherwise unenhanced ][ anyway, although
maybe not a 'gs.

On the ][ native there is APP-L-LISP for DOS 3.3, FORTHs for every O/S,
PASCALs for every O/S, several LOGOs, Fortran-77 (Subset G) for UCSD,
Modula-2 for UCSD, COMAL, C for DOS or ProDOS, and a fistfull of compiled
BASICs.  If you cound CP/M then you can add all of the previous languages
plus APL, Fortran-IV, PL/I, COBOL [perish the thought], a blue million
obscure languages, and more...

Some of the languages are pretty neat, some of them are less than robust,
but you can program in more languages on a ][ than most people have time
for.  There aren't sexy interactive debuggers and windows for the most
part, and I'm not recommending any of it for amateurs, but if you want to
chase icons around all day with a mouse and hunt for things in pull down
menus you belong on a different system anyway...

rcs