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∂20-FEB-76 1735 FTP: host HARV
***** FTP mail from [7101,422] (HOWARD)
JOHN:
IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE TO GET A COPY OF LISP OVER THE NET.
THE ONLY DIFFICULTY IS THAT I'LL HAVE TO FTP IT TO YOU-- THERE IS NO LOGGED
OUT DISK STORAGE HERE, WO IT WOULD BE ROUGH FOR YOU TO RETRIEVE IT.
LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE WORKED OUT.
FORREST HOWARD.
(PS. UNIX LISP RUNS AT BERKELEY, WHICH MAY BE MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU.
(I HAVE NO NOTION OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF CA.)).
∂23-FEB-76 1503 FTP: host HARV
***** FTP mail from [7101,422] (HOWARD)
JOHN:
I FINISHED TRANSFERING THE FILES. YOU WILL FIND (I HOPE) THE
FOLLOWING ON YOUR DIRECTORIES:
BUILDL.DOC LMAN.DOC EDIT1.DOC EDIT2.DOC MI.DOC GUTS.DOC
AUXFNS SVLISP HACK TRACE EDIT BT
SPARM.M11 LGLOB.M11 MACRO.M11 DSTUF.M11 ATDAT.M11
E SUBR.M11 SUBRCOM.M11 EARLY.M11 SYSS.M11 GCOL.M11 NOW.M11 FP.M11
SYSEND.M11 PROB7.M11 PROB8.M11 PROB8.ORI PRO
CTABLE.M11 PROBEND FILLER.M11 NOROOM.M11
MI.TEC
SHRLISP
THE USER'S MANUAL IS LMAN.DOC... BUILDLISP.DOC TELLS HOW TO MAKE A LISP
FROM SCRATCH. GUTS.DOC DESCRIBS THE INTERNALS OF THE LISP SYSTEM.
THE EDIT FILES ARE FOR THE IN-CORE EDITOR THAT NO-ONE
USES SINCE WE'VE PUT IN (TECO 'FILE) AND (TECF(FUNC1 ... FUCN)).
THE SECOND GROUP IS THE LIBRARY. AUXFNS IS PRE-LOADED, WITH HACK AND SVLISP. THE OTHER'S ARE LOADED BY THE USER WHEN HE WISHES.
THE THIRD GROUP IS THE SOURCE FOR LISP. THE FILE MI.TEC IS A OFTEN USED
MACRO FOR LIST STRUCTURE INSERTION . THE FILE SHRLISP IS TEHE UNIX
CCL FILE TO MAKE A LISP.
I HOPE THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED. IF THERE IS ANY OTHER PART
OF UNIX LISP THAT YOU WANT TO GET AHOLD OF, LET ME KNOW.
FORREST HOWARD
(PS PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU GIVE A COPY OF LISP TO ANYONE ELSE.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO, BUT I'D LIKE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE
IT LIVES.)
∂25-FEB-76 0910 FTP:HOWARD at HARV-10 MANUSCRIPT
Date: 25 Feb 1976 1209-Edt
From: HOWARD at HARV-10
Subject: MANUSCRIPT
To: JRA at SU-AI
I WOULD APPRECIATE SEEING A COPY OF THE LISP MANUSCRIPT,
FOR CURIOSITY SAKE AND TO SEE ABOUT REPLACING WEISSMAN
WHICH IS WHAT WE USE FOR A LISP PRIMMER HERE.
IF "WHERE TO SEND" REFERS TO USMAIL, THE ADDRESS IS
FORREST W. HOWARD JR.
CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY
AIKEN COMPUTATION LAB
HARVARD UNIVERSIT
CAMBRIDGE, MA. 02138
GOOD LUCK
FORREST
∂09-MAR-76 1311 FTP:HOWARD at HARV-10 LISP/BOOK
Date: 9 Mar 1976 1610-Edt
From: HOWARD at HARV-10
Subject: LISP/BOOK
To: JRA at SU-AI
JOHN:
SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO GET BACK TO YOU. FIRST YOUR COMMENTS:
THE FRMPTR WAS A CELL I ADDED AT THE REQUEST OF AN UNDERGRAD
(JOHN BURRUS) THAT HE FELT NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT SPAGETTI
STACKS. HOWEVER, THAT WAS LAST SPRING, AND JOHN HAS GONE FORTH
TO MAJOR IN ENGLISH. SPAGETTI STACKS ARE SOMETHING I'M PLANNING
EVENTUALLY (MAYBE LATE SUMMER).
XFER LISP IS THE PDP-10- UNIX ENVIRONMENT TRANSFER PROJECT, WHICH
I'M DOING TO JUSTIFY MY EXISTANCE THESE DAYS. WE'RE PLANNING
ON TRANSFERING A COMPLETE ENVIRONMENT (DATA AND CONTROL) TO THE
10 TO CONTINUE RUNNING WHEN WE'RE BLOCKED ON THE 1.( AT
THE MOMENT "BLOCKED" MEANS NO CORE, BUT WE EVENTUALLY HOPE TO DEVISE
ALGORITHIMS FOR THE MONITOR TO "TELL" LISP IT'S BLOCKED).
THE OBLIST SWITCHING IS SOMETHING I DID LAST SPRING WHEN TAKING
A COURSE AT MIT UNDER RON RIVEST. SEE THE CURRENT ACM FOR THE
SPECIFICS.. BASICALLY, IT A "MOVE TOWARDS THE FRONT" ALGORITHIM
TO SPEED UP OBLIST SEARCHING.
INDEED THIS IS CLOSE TO PRENNER'S LISP-- WHEN I ORIGINALLY WROTE AS AN UUNDERGRAD,
WE WE CONVERTING APPL. MATH [[0 (MACHINE LANGUAGE) TO UNIX FROM A 10, AND
WERE TRYING TO MAKE THE COURSES (AND PROBLEM SETS AND LISP)
AS IDENTICAL AS POSSIBLE.
I WILL BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE BOOK... SOUNDS LIKE IT SHOULD BE GOOD
READING
TQAKE CARE
FORREST
∂02-APR-76 1825 FTP:HOWARD at HARV-10 LISP BOOK
Date: 2 Apr 1976 2125-Edt
From: HOWARD at HARV-10
Subject: LISP BOOK
To: JRA at SU-AI
JOHN:
SORRY FOR LACK OF RESPONSE. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT,
BUT WAYLAYED IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A SHORT WHILE (FOR MINOR SURGERY).
I FOUND A MISPELLING (DON'T REMEMBER -- MARKED IT , AND I'LL LET YOU
KNOW.)
AM READING AWAY... VERY INTERSTING SO FAR, BUT I'LL GIVE FULL REPORT WHEN
I'M ALL THROUGH IT .
FORREST
∂10-MAY-76 1117 FTP:HOWARD at HARV-10 UNIX, ULIST, AND BOOK
Date: 10 May 1976 1417-Edt
From: HOWARD at HARV-10
Subject: UNIX, ULIST, AND BOOK
To: JRA at SU-AI
HOWDY, SORRY FOR TARDY RESPONSE:
1) UNIX IS AVAILABLE FOR THE INCREDIBLE PRICES OF $150 (IF YOU'RE
EDUCATIONAL) OR $20000. (IF YOU'RE NOT). THE FORMER IS CLEARLY
QUITE A BUY, SINCE YOU ARE GETTING MANY MAN-YEARS OF PROGRAMMING FOR
NOTHING. THE LATTER IS A RIP-OFF. TO GET UNIX, YOU SPEAK TO SOMEONE
ATWESTERN ELECTRIC WHOOSE NAME ESCAPES ME. CHUCK PRENNER AT EE IN
BERKELY WILL KNOW, AS WILL DENIS RITCHIE AT MURRY HILL BELL.
2) UNIX LISP IS AVAILABLE FROM TUCKER TAFT, SCIENCE CENTER,I
HARVARD UNIVERSITY, CAMBRIDGE, MA. 002138. A $10 FEE IS MADE FOR
HANDELING, WHICH DISSAPEARS SOMEWHERE INTO THE DEPTHS OF HARVARD
UNIVERSITY. $10 ADDITIONAL IS ALSO CHARGED IF WE SUPPLY THE DECTAPE.
AN ASSEMBLER AND LINKER ARE INCLUDED IN THE DISTRIBUTION.
I SHOULD MENTION THAT OTHER GOODIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE SAME
ADDRESS, INCLUDING TECO, RT-11 BASIC, A DDT, SOURCES FOR THE
ASSEMBLER AND LINKER, AND A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE CALLED "PPL",
STANDING FOR POLYMORPHIC PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE. THESE ARE ALL ON
A BASIS SIMILAR TO LISP. ECL FOR THE 11 IS ALSO COMMING SOON.
OTHER GOODIEES ARE AVAILABLE FROM BERKELY (INGRESS, A DATA BASE
SYSTEM), COMMERCIAL UNION LEASING CO, NEW YORK (FORTRAN 4-PLUS ) (YECH!!)
AND THE NAVAL POST-GRADUATE SCHOOL (A DEBUGER AND OTHER STUFF). BELL IS
RUMORED TO BE WORKING ON ALGOL-68 COMPILERS.
3) YOUR BOOK WAS READ FOR THE SECOND TIME LAST SATURDAY. TYPO'S
I NOTICED WERE "ABRECIATION" FOR ABREVIATION (ABOUT PAGE 30)
(YOU MIGHT HAVE MEANT THIS) AND SEVERAL PLACES TOWARDS THE
BACK OF THE BOOK WHERE THE PABE NUMBERING WAS SCREWED UP
IN ITS TYPEOUT.
I RESPECT TO FORMAT, I FOUND THE BOOK FAIRLY INTERESTING.
THE SECTIONS THAT I MOST WANTED TO SEE (FUNARGS, SPAGETTI,
QUANATATIVE TRADEOFFS BETWEEN SM AND DEEP-BINDING) WERE ALL
"MORE ON ...." SECTIONS. THE REST OF IT SEEMS WELL THOUGHT OUT,
AND WELL PRESENTED.
I'M NOT SURE IF I AGREE WITH THE ADVOIDANCE OF NIL AND T,
AS WELL AS THE CONCEPT OF FIRST, SECOND, ...; IT SEEMS TO ME
THAT JUST AS THE PROGRAMMER IN ASSEMBLER KNOWS THAT A 0 IS
FALSE OR HALT, AND A 1 IS TRUE OR AN INSTRUCTION, THE LISP
USER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE
DUALITY OF VARIOUS OBJECTS. THE NOTION OF FIRST&CO. WOULD SEEM
TO HELP CONFUSE THE HOPEFULLY CLEAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LISTS
AND DOTTED-PAIRS.
THE OVERALL ORGINIZATION IS GOOD. THE IDEA OF PRESENTING LISP
MATHEMATICALLY FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE ISSUES AND THEN A COMPILE
TO SEE HOW TO DO THINGS SEEMS REASONABLE.
I PROMISE TO READ A THIRD TIME, AND MAKE FULL COMENTS THEN.
ONE MORE THING, I'M LEAVING FOR PARIS ON JUNE 1, SO TRY
TO GET CORROSPENDENCE TO ME BY THEN. I PLAN TO LOG IN HERE ABOUT
ONCE EVERY 2 WEEKS (FROM THE LONDON TIP), SO POST THAT MAIL AND
YOU'LL EVENTUALLY GET AN ANSWER. AFTER OCTOBER I'LL BE WORKING FOR
COMMERCIAL UNION LEASING CO, 645 MADISON, NYC, 10022 (I THINK)
SO SNAIL-MAIL CAN GET ME THERE (I HOPE TO ALSO KEEP THIS ACCOUNT).
FORREST
∂24-MAY-76 1141 FTP: host HARV
***** FTP mail from [7101,422] (HOWARD)
JOHN:
A QUICK REPLY TO YOUR LETTER:
1) UNIX RUNS ON ANY 11 WITH SEGMENTATION (MEMORY MANAGEMANT UNIT) AND
EXTENDED INSTRUCTION SET (IF A 11/40 (THIS MEANS SOB, MUL, DIV)).
ONE BLOCK TYPE DEVICE IS REQUIRED (DECTAPE, RK DISK, RP DISK, ETC).
IT IS EXTREMLY FLEXIBLE IN THE CONFIGURATIONS THAT IT ACCEPTS; I
HAVE RUN UNICIES WITH ONE DECTAPE AS A "ROOT FILESYSTEM" AND SWAP
DEVICE, AND THE OTHER DECTAPE AS A "REMOVABLE FILESYSTEM".
THE BIGGER AND FASTER THE DISKS/TAPES THE BETTER, BUT ALMOST ANYTHING
WILL DO.
UNIX SUPPORTS ALMOST ANY PERHIPERAL MADE BY DEC, AND QUITE AFEW FOREIGN
PERHIPERALS (VOICE SYNTHESISERS, PHOTOTYPESETTERS, GOULD PRINTERS, ETC.).
OH YES -- YOU NEED MEMORY TO MANAGE. ABOUT 64 K WDS IS THE MINIMUM THAT I
WOULD CONSIDER, ALTHOUGH I'VE SEEN SMALLER.
2) RUMOR HAS IT THAT BELL HAS UNICIES TO RUN ON THE LSI-11 AND 11/20 OR
11/05. YOU'LL HAVE TO TALK TO THEM TO FIND OUT.
3) UNIX MAY BE CONVERABLE TO A DEC MONITOR. THE WAY DEC ORGANIZES THEIR
STACK-PROT
STACK/PROGRAM/DATA IS DIFFERENT THAN UNIX (DEC LIKES PROG HIGH IN CORE,
DATA IMMEDIATLY BELOW, STACK BELOW THAT. UNIX LIKES PROG LOW, DATA FOLLOWING AND
STACK STARTING AT -2 GROWING TOWARDS 0.) MAPING THE SYSTEM CALLS WILL BE FAIRLY
ESASY, AS I'VE TRIED TO (AT LEAST INITIALLY) TO LEAVE ALL THE
SYSTEM DEPENDENT STUFF IN ONE MODULE (THIS EFFORT HAS DETERIORATED OVER TIME).
AS A LAST RESORT, AL SPECTOR AT HARVARD WROTE A UNIX "MONITOR" THAT FITS
INTO A BARE MACHINE AND CAN BE USED TO HELP OUT WITH STUFF. AL WILL BE A
1-G AND STANFORD NEXT YEAR.
4) THE BIGGEST LOSS ABOUT USING UNIX LISP UNDER A DEC MONITOR OR 11-40 IS THE
LOSS OF I&D SPACE SEPERATION CAPABILITY. UNDER AN 11-45 OR EQUIVILANT, THE
USER HAS ABOUT 27.5 K OF DATA (NOT COUNING STACK) TO DO THINGS WITH.
THIS DROPS TO ABOUT 22K UNDER AN 11/40 OR NON-I&D MACHINE.
(P.S. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF I&D IS THE "FREENESS" OF NEW SUBRS OR FSUBRS.
THAT IS THE CODE FOR NEW SUBRS JUST POPS INTO I-SPACE, AND DSPACE REMAINS THE
SAME SIZE, WITH THE LANGUAGE BEING MORE POWERFUL AND/OR CONVENIENT.)
MORE ON THE BOOK TO COME. I GOTTA CODE RIGHT NOW, HOWEVER (I HEAR THAT
PLANE DRAWING CLOSE).
FORREST