Re: full-blown application in MACL?

[mcw@rice.edu (Michael Wirth)]

Sigh....  It would take more time and typing than I care to expend to explain
why we made a "leap of faith" almost two years ago and chose MACL 1.3.2 + PCL
as a platform for implementing an application framework (in the style of MacApp)
and a suite of applications.  Suffice it to say that all things are relative,
especially measures such as "performance" and "memory use."

In our case, we've built applications that integrate image handling (sort of
like an "industrial strength" HyperCard or SuperCard), vector and raster based
map manipulation, relational database access, and full CLOS-based object-
oriented modeling.  Example applications include one for building a map-based
database of all the natural gas pipelines and facilities in North America, and
an executive information system for managing oil well drilling activities
world wide.  Lots of mixed media info and database access and update.

The applications run in 5 MB of memory.  Their performance in MACL 1.3.2 + PCL
was "adequate."  In MCL 2.0 (with native CLOS), their performance is
excellent.

Stay tuned for further info on our work from Apple.  I think they might include
a short article on our work in APDAlog or some of the developer mailings.

Mike Wirth
GeoQuest International (which recently purchased Petroleum Information)
Houston


PS:  Yes, we made the right choice.  With the investment we've made in our
framework (class library) and the performance improvements in Macs and MCL,
we're poised for some very interesting developments.