Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

[Q] GCL status ?

147 views
Skip to first unread message

Didier Verna

unread,
Jan 9, 2012, 4:58:48 AM1/9/12
to

Hi,

does anyone know whether GCL has a future? Ubuntu provides a 2.6.7. I
managed to find (very hard!) a 2.6.8pre version which compiles on both
linux and macos. However, none of these versions seem to conform to the
standard (e.g. *load-pathname* is unbound).

Thanks.

--
Resistance is futile. You will be jazzimilated.

Scientific site: http://www.lrde.epita.fr/~didier
Music (Jazz) site: http://www.didierverna.com

Ara

unread,
Jan 9, 2012, 1:12:22 PM1/9/12
to
On Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:58:48 +0100, Didier Verna wrote:

> Hi,
>
> does anyone know whether GCL has a future? Ubuntu provides a 2.6.7. I
> managed to find (very hard!) a 2.6.8pre version which compiles on both
> linux and macos. However, none of these versions seem to conform to the
> standard (e.g. *load-pathname* is unbound).
>
> Thanks.

Have just installed Ubuntu 11.04, and am somewhat confused.

GNU CLISP 2.48 (2009-07-28) is the first one I found in its
Software Center.

I think its the only one, as its difficult to search in that
Software Center. Lisp provides almost nil, so Common Lisp must
be used which shows all sorts of related programs.

Do you suggest that GCL development is not progressing,
or that Ubuntu does not provide a sufficiently up-to-date
version of GCL ?

Zach Beane

unread,
Jan 9, 2012, 1:18:07 PM1/9/12
to
GCL (GNU Common Lisp) is distinct from GNU CLISP.

Zach

kent...@gmail.com

unread,
Jan 10, 2012, 9:41:36 AM1/10/12
to
On Monday, January 9, 2012 4:58:48 AM UTC-5, Didier Verna wrote:
> Hi,
>
> does anyone know whether GCL has a future?

Yes, wherever communism is burying capitalism.

hk

Daniel Uber

unread,
Jan 10, 2012, 11:49:38 AM1/10/12
to
You'll get much better package search results using a program called
Synaptic, which is available in the software center, which you may never
use again after seeing synaptic. I recommend not installing any of the
Ubuntu packages, and obtaining the packages from the maintainer or via
quicklisp. This includes SBCL and slime/swank especially. The main issue
is that Ubuntu tends to freeze a version a few months in advance of
release, and some very good improvements are being made to the software,
which take perhaps 6-10 months to arrive in a default Ubuntu repository.

If I recall correctly, 'GCL' is CTLT1, not Ansi CL, so it is likely
there will be incompatibilities. GCL exists to provide support for some
older programs. clisp, as pointed out, is a different program, and
perfectly suitable.

Firing up clisp 2.49 on my Ubuntu machine, I find that *load-pathname*
is defined, and is nil. That looks like the correct behavior:
http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/HyperSpec/Body/v_ld_pns.htm

Loading gcl-2.6.7, I agree that *load-pathname* is indeed unbound. Is
that a CLTL1 feature?

Raymond Toy

unread,
Jan 11, 2012, 11:35:49 PM1/11/12
to
On 1/9/12 1:58 AM, Didier Verna wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> does anyone know whether GCL has a future? Ubuntu provides a 2.6.7. I
> managed to find (very hard!) a 2.6.8pre version which compiles on both
> linux and macos. However, none of these versions seem to conform to the
> standard (e.g. *load-pathname* is unbound).

It's not totally dead; there is some activity on the mailing list and
the commit list.

Gcl is still (AFAIK) mostly CLtL1, but it is moving towards full ANSI.

You might get a better answer from the gcl mailing lists.

Ray

Marco Antoniotti

unread,
Jan 12, 2012, 8:54:41 AM1/12/12
to
On Thursday, January 12, 2012 5:35:49 AM UTC+1, Raymond Toy wrote:
> On 1/9/12 1:58 AM, Didier Verna wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > does anyone know whether GCL has a future? Ubuntu provides a 2.6.7. I
> > managed to find (very hard!) a 2.6.8pre version which compiles on both
> > linux and macos. However, none of these versions seem to conform to the
> > standard (e.g. *load-pathname* is unbound).
>
> It's not totally dead; there is some activity on the mailing list and
> the commit list.
>
> Gcl is still (AFAIK) mostly CLtL1, but it is moving towards full ANSI.

In the sense of Achilles and the Tortoise I believe.

Cheers
--
MA

Antsan

unread,
Jan 12, 2012, 3:52:51 PM1/12/12
to
Wouldn't it be more in the sense of the runner as ANSII Common Lisp isn't moving anymore?

kodifik

unread,
Jan 16, 2012, 6:42:40 AM1/16/12
to
On Jan 12, 9:52 pm, Antsan <thomas.bartsc...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Wouldn't it be more in the sense of the runner as ANSII Common Lisp isn't moving anymore?

ASCII + ANSI = ANSII :)

kodifik

unread,
Jan 16, 2012, 6:36:28 AM1/16/12
to
In order to run gcl with full ANSI compatibility in a
Debian based Linux like Ubuntu, one has to modify the file
/etc/default/gcl
Mine has only 2 lines:
DEFAULT_GCL_ANSI="yes"
DEFAULT_GCL_PROF="yes"
Look at *features* in gcl before and after you make the changes.

kodifik

unread,
Jan 16, 2012, 7:02:31 AM1/16/12
to
On Jan 10, 5:49 pm, Daniel Uber <dju...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Firing up clisp 2.49 on my Ubuntu machine, I find that *load-pathname*
> is defined, and is nil. That looks like the correct behavior:http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/HyperSpec/Body/v_ld_pns.htm
>
> Loading gcl-2.6.7, I agree that *load-pathname* is indeed unbound. Is
> that a CLTL1 feature?

As a counterexample, GCL is THE ONLY free lisp implementation I know
where function-lamba-expression has ever worked.

kodifik

unread,
Jan 16, 2012, 7:15:49 AM1/16/12
to
On Jan 9, 10:58 am, Didier Verna <did...@lrde.epita.fr> wrote:
>   Hi,
>
> does anyone know whether GCL has a future? Ubuntu provides a 2.6.7. I
> managed to find (very hard!) a 2.6.8pre version which compiles on both

From Debian: apt-get install gclcvs
(Invoke with command gclcvs not gcl) corresponds to version 2.7.0
On ubuntu you possibly have to add before multiverse in your apt
config.
Don't forget to modify /etc/default/gclcvs
so that it reads:
DEFAULT_GCL_ANSI="yes"
DEFAULT_GCL_PROF="yes"

Didier Verna

unread,
Jan 17, 2012, 3:47:00 AM1/17/12
to
Thanks! That's good to know.

kodifik

unread,
Jan 17, 2012, 4:38:51 AM1/17/12
to
On Jan 17, 9:47 am, Didier Verna <did...@lrde.epita.fr> wrote:
Go after gclcvs since it has much better ansi compat.
(By the way, the package is in ubuntu's "universe", not "multiverse"
as I said before.)
Post here any problems you find.
0 new messages