Re: [Axiom-developer] Re: learning Lisp

[root]

hmmm, too much detail in a reference and not enough detail in a reference.
all in the same email. seems like it averages out :-)


> > src/interp/sys-pkg.lisp.pamphlet

(make-package "SCRATCHPAD_COMPILER")     <--- SPAD obviously

  the spad compiler package. although i believe this is a dead
  package at this point. all of the symbols from this package
  have been moved into the boot package.

(make-package "SPECFNSF")                <--- Don't have a clue ...

  the special functions package. there was originally lisp code
  to support hardcoded knowledge of special functions like gamma.
  this is also a dead package as the functions have been lifted
  to the algebra level.

(make-package "VMLISP")                  <--- Lisp emulation package

  this is the package that originally contained the VMLisp macros
  but in fact contains macros to support several other lisps. it
  is essentially the place where most of the macros to support
  idioms from prior ports (like rdefiostream and fileactq)

(make-package "BOOTTRAN")                <--- Why two packages

  this is the boot to lisp compiler package which contains the
  src/boot files. it is the boot translator package.

(make-package "BOOT")                    <---   for Boot?

  everything in axiom that the user references eventually shows
  up here. the interpreter and the algebra are run after switching
  to the boot package (in-package "BOOT") so any symbol that the
  interpreter or algebra uses has to (cough, cough) appear here.

(make-package "FOAM")                    <--- Maybe these are Aldor
  
  foam is the intermediate language for the aldor compiler. FOAM
  means "first order abstract machine" and functions similar to
  RTL for the GCC compiler. it is a "machine" that is used as the
  target for meta-assembler level statments. these are eventually
  expanded for the real target machine (or interpreted directly)

(make-package "FOAM-USER")               <---   related?

  foam-user is the package containing foam statements and macros
  that get inserted into user code versus the foam package which
  provides support for compiler code.


> Is that all there is? It would be nice to have a couple of
> sentences about each of these packages.

is that better? it is hard to guess the level of detail required.
remember, i'm on the other end of a skinny pipe and the intent of
the email may not be the meaning i derive from the message so a 
little guesswork and patience is necessary.

t