[chicago-lisp] Ping

[David Douthitt]

Jason Foreman wrote:
> Recently I picked up Practical Common Lisp, and so far it is about  the 
> best programming book I have ever read.

I don't know if I'd go THAT far.... but it's close.  To me, Starting 
FORTH and Thinking FORTH are pretty close :-)

> This is my first real  exposure 
> to Lisp; by day I am stuck working in Java and loathing  every minute of 
> it.

Funny - Java is one I've been trying recently to pick up :-)

However, I've been struggling to gain full-fledged expertise in LISP 
since 1981 or so.... The idea of lower-case LISP, and the use of FIRST
SECOND THIRD et al took some time to get used to :-)

I find that LISP and FORTH have a LOT in common - LISP has macros, FORTH 
has CREATE ... DOES> ...; LISP and FORTH both operate with bottom-up 
design and what I call "micro-procedures" (FORTH has words, LISP has 
functions).  Both are beautiful to the artist.

The one drawback I find is that a lot of LISP is centered on AI; a 
recent LISP project was to interface with a PostgreSQL database 
containing a list of RPMs on systems and report differences and 
similarities in different ways - not at all related to AI in the least.

Paul Graham, likewise, reports a significant use for him was the 
creation of a electronic storefront - also not related to AI in the least.

I've also played with myLisp on the Palm; anyone have anything to relate 
about their use of this tool?