future MCL

[teskridg@NMSU.Edu]

   Date: Wed, 29 Apr 92 07:06:21 CDT
   From: george@hsvaic.boeing.com (George Williams)

   > I wonder how many of the MCL users are familiar with GARNET.  GARNET is a
   > public domain attempt at providing an interface development environment for
   > common lisp.  It runs on most common lisps that have CLX.  The GARNET folks are
   > currently trying to get a Macintosh port underway.  I'm just curious as to how
   > much interest there would be in having such a port.  Anyone?
   > 
   > Tom Eskridge
   > Computing Research Laboratory &
   > Computer Science Department
   > New Mexico State University
   > Box 30001/3CRL
   > Las Cruces, NM 88003-0001
   > teskridg@nmsu.edu (505) 646-6247

   I've seen the announcements, but have never seen what it can do.  How
   does it compare to CLIM in terms of functionality?

I don't have a copy of CLIM so I cant really comment on how they compare.  I do
know that GARNET has a great variety of features that are commonly used by
application developers.  I've used GARNET on a couple of projects and have had
no complaints or missing features.

   I've heard that the Mac port was indefinitely postponed due to lack of
   Mac-knowledgeable personnel.  What's the current state of this effort?

This is still the case, but I'm trying to get an effort going here that will do
the port.  We are trying to work something out with CMU and APPLE to get some
support. 

   Can you say anything about when you anticipate it being available?  If
   you're still looking for help, maybe someone on this list might be

It's just a guess, but I think that the first of an incremental port could be
done in a few months.  There's no telling on the full port.

   I'd love to see GARNET ported to MCL so we could have a portable GUI to
   compete with (the relatively inexpensive but still proprietary) CLIM.
   This is something for us MCL'ers to consider seriously, especially in
   light of the concern expressed by some of us on this list for the future
   of CLIM on the Mac.

I agree with this, except for the inexpensive part :->  I think that there are
benefits to having a public domain, source-code available system to work with
and learn from.



   George Williams            BCS Huntsville Artificial Intelligence Center
   Boeing Computer Services   Internet: george@hsvaic.boeing.com
   POBox 240002, M/S JY-58    UUCP: ...!uw-beaver!bcsaic!hsvaic!george
   Huntsville AL 35824-6402   Phone: 205+464-4968 FAX: 205+464-4930 

Tom Eskridge
Computing Research Laboratory &
Computer Science Department
New Mexico State University
Box 30001/3CRL
Las Cruces, NM 88003-0001
teskridg@nmsu.edu (505) 646-6247