RE: MCL Application Framework

["pierce" <pierce@at-mail-server.vitro.com>]

>I'd recommend that you read The Preface to the Dylan book.

I have read the Dylan spec and agree with it's preface.  I'm only suggesting
that LISP developers retain the option of porting their applications to C++
without having to switch application frameworks.

>There are Lisp to C translators, but I bet they don't do very well
>with object systems [ie CLOS to C++] o window system code.

I was thinking about a future C++ development environment based on LISP which
provided the benefits of the MCL environment to C++ programmers by implementing
a C++ to LISP translator for C++ development.  Delivering such code could then
involve recompiling the C++ code using an alternate C++ compiler.  Of course,
the delivery C++ code would need to link in a garbage collector or do it's own
memory management.

> A LISP interface to Bedrock would serve to increase the size of the LISP
>community by making LISP >a more attractive development environment that does
>not lock the developer into delivering in LISP.

Some non-LISP developers might consider using LISP for development and then
translating parts of their code to other languages for delivery if a language  
independent application framework were made available.

>If the developer is delivering stand-alone applications [as is possible with
>MCL now], the user doesn't know or care what language the application was
>developed.

The user cares about memory requirements, speed performance, and the
completeness of the user interface. These are directly affected by the chosen
programming language and the completeness of the chosen application framework. 

>If you believe C is better, go with Bedrock. 

I believe LISP is better for development, but at least for now, other languages
are necessary for delivering commercial quality applications with modest memory
requirements on the existing installed hardware base. 

I develop in both LISP and C and would like to not have to switch application
frameworks whenever I switch languages.

 -Jonathan