Re: full-blown application in MACL?

[rodney@hsvaic.boeing.com (Rodney Daughtrey)]

> Date: Wed, 6 Mar 91 09:11:06 -0500
> From: spector@cs.UMD.EDU (Lee Spector)
> Message-Id: <9103061411.AA09442@mimsy.UMD.EDU>
> To: info-macl@cambridge.apple.com.ARPANET,
>         mcdougal@gargoyle.uchicago.edu.ARPANET
> Subject: Re: full-blown application in MACL?
> Cc: converse@gargoyle.uchicago.edu.ARPANET
> Status: RO
> 
> Tom McDougal <mcdougal@gargoyle.uchicago.edu> wrote:
> >I am inquiring on behalf of a friend (converse@cs.uchicago.edu).
> >Has anyone out there developed a full-blown application using
> >MACL?
> 
> I've generated applications ('full blown', I'm not sure...) in MACL and
> the results have always left a bad taste in my mouth.  I guess the worst
> parts are 1) humongous applications (my last simple project was about 950k
> on disk) and 2) no incremental garbage collection.  I've ended up thinking
> that MACL is a great AI hacking environment, but a pretty poor Mac application
> programming environment.  I'm hoping, though, that some of this will change
> with 2.0.  The APDA press release said "This new version offers additional 
> tools and increased performance to further aid programmers in their
> application development."  It also said that MACL generated apps will still
> require 2Megs of RAM...  I'm wondering if someone who's already playing
> with 2.0 could comment on other application-generation features of 2.0.  
> Specifically, I'd like to know if there are improvements with respect to
> application size and non-intrusive GC, but I'd like to hear about any related
> features as well.
> 
>   Thanks!  -Lee (spector@cs.umd.edu)

I must agree with Lee's opinions.  My 6000-line LISP application is
1,300k, and have had (possibly personal) problems with standalone
applications (specifically with the use of EVAL-ENQUEUE forms, and
constant GCing).  To be fair, though, I suspect LISP applications are
going to be large on any platform.  We'll see what happens with MCL
2.0, but I don't think application generation issues/problems were
high on the list of priorities for 2.0.


Rodney Daughtrey           E-mail: rodney@hsvaic.boeing.com
Huntsville AI Center               {major site}!uw-beaver!bcsaic!hsvaic!rodney
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