PDP-6 IAP

LAP is a LISP FEXPR (or FSUBR when compiled) which is executed primarily for its side effect??ely assembling a symbolic listing into core as a machine language subroutine. As such, it is about the most convenient and rapid way for a LISP user to add machine language primitives to the LISP system, es...

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Main Author: White, John L.
Language:en_US
Published: 2004
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/6158
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author White, John L.
author_facet White, John L.
author_sort White, John L.
collection MIT
description LAP is a LISP FEXPR (or FSUBR when compiled) which is executed primarily for its side effect??ely assembling a symbolic listing into core as a machine language subroutine. As such, it is about the most convenient and rapid way for a LISP user to add machine language primitives to the LISP system, especially if the function in question are in a developmental stage and are reasonably small (e.g. 1-500 instructions). Also, the LISP compiler currently gives its results as a file of LAP code, which may then be loaded into core by IAP. Virtually any function definition, whether by DEFPROP, LABEL, or LAP is an extension of LISP's primitives; and as in any actual programming language, the side-effects and global interactions are often of primary importance. Because of this, and because of the inherently broader range of machine instructions and data formats, a function quite easily described and written in PDP-6 machine language may accomplish what is only most painfully and artificially written in LISP. One must, then, consider the total amount of code in each language to accomplish a given task, the amount of commentary necessary to clarify the intent of the task given the program (in this sense, LISP code rates very high??ajor benefit of the confines of LISP is that a good program serves as its own comment, and usually needs no further elucidations), and other considerations of programming convenience.
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spelling mit-1721.1/61582019-04-12T07:44:01Z PDP-6 IAP White, John L. LAP is a LISP FEXPR (or FSUBR when compiled) which is executed primarily for its side effect??ely assembling a symbolic listing into core as a machine language subroutine. As such, it is about the most convenient and rapid way for a LISP user to add machine language primitives to the LISP system, especially if the function in question are in a developmental stage and are reasonably small (e.g. 1-500 instructions). Also, the LISP compiler currently gives its results as a file of LAP code, which may then be loaded into core by IAP. Virtually any function definition, whether by DEFPROP, LABEL, or LAP is an extension of LISP's primitives; and as in any actual programming language, the side-effects and global interactions are often of primary importance. Because of this, and because of the inherently broader range of machine instructions and data formats, a function quite easily described and written in PDP-6 machine language may accomplish what is only most painfully and artificially written in LISP. One must, then, consider the total amount of code in each language to accomplish a given task, the amount of commentary necessary to clarify the intent of the task given the program (in this sense, LISP code rates very high??ajor benefit of the confines of LISP is that a good program serves as its own comment, and usually needs no further elucidations), and other considerations of programming convenience. 2004-10-04T14:43:36Z 2004-10-04T14:43:36Z 1968-01-01 AIM-152 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/6158 en_US AIM-152 3755570 bytes 431755 bytes application/postscript application/pdf application/postscript application/pdf
spellingShingle White, John L.
PDP-6 IAP
title PDP-6 IAP
title_full PDP-6 IAP
title_fullStr PDP-6 IAP
title_full_unstemmed PDP-6 IAP
title_short PDP-6 IAP
title_sort pdp 6 iap
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/6158
work_keys_str_mv AT whitejohnl pdp6iap