flavors

[Marion Hakanson <hakanson%oregon-state.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>]

For my graduate project, I am considering the implementation of
a flavors package for PSL.  We currently have PSL 3.2 and I am
aware of the OBJECTS package that came with the distribution.  From
various sources I have ascertained that the existing OBJECTS package
was "thrown together" in order to facilitate development of the
EMODE editor -- it is efficient and fast, but is not a complete
implementation of flavors (it does not support inheritance, for
example).

We are about to take delivery of HP's RL1 (I think that's what
it's called) and PSL 3.3 for the HP9836, and it is my understanding
that there is something included with that system which is closer
to flavors than OBJECTS is, but that it is still not "full flavors,"
if there is such a thing.

So, that is what I've found out so far as to the availability of
flavors for PSL.  I plan to start the project by looking over the MIT
flavors package for franzlisp (part of our 4.2bsd distribution), and
by investigating the functionality of the Maryland implementation for
franzlisp as well.  I also intend to aim for compatibility with the
existing OBJECTS package.

If anyone out there has additional information that might be helpful
in this project, I'd appreciate receiving it.  I would also welcome
information about tools (or strategies) for converting other dialects
of LISP to PSL.  Has someone already done this?  Is anybody in the
process of doing it?

Now, here's a related question:  Does anyone have suggestions for
doing this project in a manner that would be compatible with future
Common LISP implementations?  How about for making it easy to convert
to Common LISP?

Well, that's enough questions, I'm sure.  As should be obvious, I am
trying to avoid reinventing anything.  And, as usual, thanks in advance.

Marion Hakanson         CSnet:  hakanson%oregon-state@csnet-relay
                        UUCP :  {hp-pcd,tektronix,tekchips}!orstcs!hakanson