A Comparison of List-processing Computer Languages

Résumé du livre

A detailed comparison is presented of COMIT, IPL-V, LISP 1.5, and SLIP-four well-known computer programming languages which, among them, exhibit all the principal characteristics of existing list-processing languages. Important comon features of list-processing languages are reviewed: forms of data structures which are manipulated; necessity for dynamic allocation of storage; use of pushdown stores; and use of recursive operations. Principal differences between the four languages under consideration are detailed: representations of data, both by the programmer and within the machine; methods for storage allocation; programming formalisms and special processes available, including arithmetic facilities; and usability in terms of availability, documentation, learning aids, and debugging facilities. Finally, the authors give some heuristics to aid in the selection of one of these languages for use in particular problem applications, concluding that no one of the languages considered in distinctly superior over all possible list-processing applications. (Author).