RE: [Axiom-developer] Re: learning Lisp

[Page, Bill]

On Tuesday, December 06, 2005 1:24 PM C Y wrote:
> 
> --- root <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > > Can you explain what is the difference? Which package is used
> > > for what? In what sense is "USER" standard? What other 
> > > packages are defined in Axiom?
> > 
> > This covers the package system which is too long to explain:
> >

Where did it say that I wanted an explanation of the lisp
package system??? Arrrgghh... ;)
 
> > Steele, Guy L., "Common Lisp The Language", Second Edition,
> > chapter 11, "Packages" ISBN 0-13-152414-3
> > 
> > Seibel, Peter, "Practical Common Lisp" chapter 21
> > ISBN 1-59059-239-5
> >

Yes, yes. Blah, blah... lots of texts about lisp. Jeez! Seibel's
book is also entirely online on the web as we already said in
several previous emails.

> > as for axiom's use see:
> > 
> > src/interp/sys-pkg.lisp.pamphlet
>

Yes, Axiom's use. That's it. What I was hoping for was a quick
summary of the why and wherefore of package use in Axiom. So
I guess I have to read

http://wiki.axiom-developer.org/axiom--test--1/src/interp/SysPkgLisp

Here I see:

(make-package "SCRATCHPAD_COMPILER")     <--- SPAD obviously
(make-package "SPECFNSF")                <--- Don't have a clue ...
(make-package "VMLISP")                  <--- Lisp emulation package
(make-package "BOOTTRAN")                <--- Why two packages
(make-package "BOOT")                    <---   for Boot?
(make-package "FOAM")                    <--- Maybe these are Aldor
(make-package "FOAM-USER")               <---   related?

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

There are also references like:

(lisp::use-package '("USER" "SYSTEM" "LISP"))

Since I do not find any make-package for "USER" "SYSTEM" or
"LISP". I presume that these "standard packages" predefined
by GCL? Maybe these names correspond to the following common
lisp packages?

  "USER" --> "CL-USER" ?
  "LISP" --> "COMMON-LISP" ?
  "SYSTEM" --> specific to GCL ?

> Also, I recommend The Complete Idiot's Guide to Common Lisp
> Packages:
> http://www.flownet.com/ron/packages.pdf

Sure, this is ok but generic. What we need to know is how
packages are used in Axiom.

Regards,
Bill Page.