Genera presentations, etc.

[Peter Van Sickel <pvs@JAZZ.ALCOA.COM>]

The AI group at Alcoa has jumped in with both feet using presentations and 
the program framework facility that is part of Genera.  We've been very pleased
with the results.  I would say it took 3 of us about 3 to 6 months of working with
define-presentation-type, define-presentation-translator, etc., to get comfortable
with using presentations.  Now there are others in our group jumping on board and
using them to do the interfaces in their projects.  The same goes for the program
framework and command processing facilities.   We don't use the frame up program,
but we do use dw:define-program-framework, cp:define-command, 
cp:define-presentation-to-command-translator, etc.  

We'd be curious to read some mail on SLUG regarding if/how others are using presentions
and the command procesor facilities for developing interfaces.

Some of us look at presentations, the program framework, and command processing tools
as being very significant software developments for Symbolics, something on the order 
of the development of Flavors. 

We've asked Symbolics to develop a one week training course in presentations and
the program framework tools.  Is this something that other Symbolics users would
sign up for?

Buying into Flavors has certainly paid off.  Object oriented programming is readily
acknowledged as being a significant advancement in the state of the art of programming.
We're curious if presentations and the command processor facility in Genera will
be viewed in the same way in 5 years.

Peter Van Sickel, et al.