[cltl3-devel] requirements on CL libraries

[Peter Denno]

Hi,

I support the idea of developing a "standard" common lisp library. Doing 
so will provide common lisp with some of the capabilities that today's 
programmers expect. Here are some thoughts on the requirements that such 
an effort might address:

- A common style of presentation should be used across the parts of the 
library. This will reduce the effort required of the programmer to 
understand the purpose of the library, and how its capabilities may be 
interfaced to his program.

- There needs to be a common and simple means for programs to reference 
the library. Just to illustrate (not to suggest a solution) URLs might 
be used to reference parts of the library.

- There should be consistency as to how the parts load into the lisp 
program. There should be a lightweight interface for querying a program 
to determine what parts and versions thereof it contains.

- There needs to be an orderly "lifecycle process" to track and express 
the maturity of parts of the library.

- We should address the most important parts first. It is likely that 
there would be some debate as to what those parts are. My list includes 
regular expressions, XML handling, http and web page production, 
Relation DB interfacing. Note that there already is good code in all of 
these areas!

IMO, doing anything like this will require someone with the requisite 
abilities assume a "Project Editor" role -- responsible for development 
of most of the work products (specification of the interfaces to the 
parts, a guide to using the library, etc.). It would also require that 
some of the lisp community's  top talent contribute with 
recommendations, text, and critique of the work products.

-- 

Best regards,
  - Peter Denno


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