🚀 go-pugleaf

In <246@unc.unc.UUCP>, Doug Kent writes:

>I am an experienced C programmer interested in learning lisp.  My interest
>is inspired by the Symbolics graphics system, written in lisp, which exhibits
>wonderful flexibility and power.  I wonder if anyone would be interested
>in answering a couple questions?

>1)  Is such flexibility and power a trait unique to lisp, or are the Symbolics
>    programmers simply very good (or both)?

>2)  How does lisp compare to C in terms of speed and other characteristics?

Such flexibility and power are very common in LISP and are by no means
unique to Symbolics.  (Whether it's UNIQUE to lisp is a different question
which could start a giant war).  There are also 'different' forms
of flexibility and power.  See some of the other forms of LISP, such as
FRANZ, INTER-, UCI, etc.

LISP in general is a wonderful language...

For areas in which you can make a comparision between LISP and C,
C will generally be faster.  Such areas are difficult to find.  You can 
compare arithmetic operations and will find that C will be faster,
but most of the features  that are intrinsic to LISP are not intrinsic
to C, i.e. functions on lists, dynamic  macro expansion.

You might want to take a look at XLISP, a freely distributed LISP 
written in very vanilla C.  It runs on most PC's, including IBM/MS-DOS,
Mac and ATARI.  It is widely available, both in executable and 
in source form.  You can get it from the Boston Computer Society
BBS and CompuServe's AI Expert forum.

Or you can get it directly from the author.  Send a floppy and $10 to:

 David Betz  
 114 Davenport Ave.
 Manchester, NH 03103

David is now charging $10 for handling.  You can mention my name.

 Jeffrey M. Jacobs
 CONSART Systems Inc.
 Technical and Managerial Consultants
 P.O. Box 3016, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
 (213)376-3802
 CIS:75076,2603
 BIX:jeffjacobs
 USENET: well!jjacobs