Lisp, the machine language. Was Re: Hallelujah!

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Sun Apr 4 13:00:30 1999

<Yes, although you could consider "P-code" to be a lower level.

It is lower level.

<> But why would anyone want something that was microcoded to run Pascal?
<
<Speed mostly, that and ease of use with compilers.

P-code is not Pascal. It's a platform that all Pascal P-compilers grind
code to. Speed wise it was slow as the Pcode was interpreted on all but
the WD Pascal microengine. Why was it done? In the late 70s Pascal was
emerging as a teaching language and it was highly standardized. Most
small systems had the resources to run it as native compiled but the
authors (UCSD) decided that portable Pcode would allow more platforms
to run it as the Pengine was easier to code than a whole compiler. The
additional part was the P-system was an integrated system with all the
tools (all written in pascal) for editing, compiling and running programs.
It was a good teaching environment as it isolated the user form the machine
very well. the entire environment was menu driven and integrated.

I have a NS* that runs the z80 version.


Allison
Received on Sun Apr 04 1999 - 13:00:30 BST