View Source: CommonLisp - Waikato Linux Users Group

You are viewing an old revision of this page. View the current version.
Common Lisp aka ANSI Standard X3J13. A popular [LISP] dialect. Most implementations can and default to compiling to native code. Very few are purely interpreted or byte compiled.

Two unique things that make Common Lisp tempting, if you can get over the funny syntax:
*__The Common Lisp Object System__. Common Lisp appears to be the only language in common use that has [multiple dispatch | http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_dispatch].
*__Macros__: with these you can create and use code generators and custom control structures with little fuss.

''[Perl]6 is stealing them both. :) Although it won't likely be here for a few years yet. In fact multiple dispatch is already possible in [Perl]5, though not available natively - as always, a stroll through [CPAN] is helpful. --AristotlePagaltzis''

Quote from Paul Graham's little essay ''[What Made Lisp Different | http://www.paulgraham.com/diff.html]'':

;: ''9. The whole language always available. There is no real distinction between read-time, compile-time, and runtime. You can compile or run code while reading, read or run code while compiling, and read or compile code at runtime.''

;: ''Running code at read-time lets users reprogram Lisp's syntax; running code at compile-time is the basis of macros; compiling at runtime is the basis of Lisp's use as an extension language in programs like Emacs; and reading at runtime enables programs to communicate using s-expressions, an idea recently reinvented as XML.''

!!Resources
* Websites
** [http://www.cliki.net/index] -- Common Lisp [Wiki | WikiWikiWeb]
** [http://www.lispworks.com/reference/HyperSpec/Front/index.htm] -- ''The Common Lisp !HyperSpec'' (the entire CL specification)
** [http://www.alu.org/alu/home] -- Association of Lisp Users
** [http://www.common-lisp.net] -- Common Lisp sourceforge analogue
* Books
** [http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/] -- Practical Common Lisp. This is a great book for new CommonLispniks.
** [http://www.paulgraham.com/onlisp.html] -- ''On Lisp'' by Paul Graham
** [http://psg.com/~dlamkins/sl/contents.html] -- ''Successful Lisp'' by David Lamkins
* Implementations
** Free
*** [CMUCL] -- Carnegie Mellon University Common Lisp
*** [SBCL] -- Steel Bank Common Lisp (favourite lisp compiler of GeoffCant)
*** [OpenMCL] -- Free derivative of Macintosh Common Lisp
** Non-Free
*** [ACL] -- Franz Allegro Common Lisp
*** [LW] -- Xanalys Lisp Works
*** [Genera] -- Symbolics Open Genera
* Getting Started
** [http://www.cliki.net/Getting%20Started]
** Get a recentish copy of [SBCL] or [CMUCL] and CVS [SLIME] (setup as per [http://www.cliki.net/SLIME-HOWTO])
** Do not be fooled into using [ILISP] :)
** Hop on #lisp !
** Start reading [http://www.gigamonkeys.com/book/]
* IRC
** #lisp on irc.openprojects.net
* Usenet
** nntp://comp.lang.lisp
5 pages link to CommonLisp:
Version 9, saved on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 7:21:07 pm by GeoffCant
Edit PageHistory Diff Info LikePages