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I posted this because it's a fun paper, and implementing object-systems is a fun project for the millions of newbie Lispers and on-the-fence programming languag
by mahmud 16y ago
I posted this because it's a fun paper, and implementing object-systems is a fun project for the millions of newbie Lispers and on-the-fence programming language nerds out there.
The unique feature of this paper is that it uses simulation, as opposed to compilation or interpretation, in order to extend a language. I have been saying this for years, language implementation techniques as presented in undergrad studies are actually HARD; the fun, easy techniques are buried in "research" papers like this one.
- klutometis 16y agoLooks like they're using a message-passing dispatcher similar to SICP 2.1.3 [1]; it's only a shame that the article predates the formalization of eval [2], though, which leads to anachronisms such as: "In Scheme, [calculating the method given its selector] is not possible. What is missing is the possibility to evaluate a symbol in the environment of self." [1] http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book-Z-H-14.html#%_sec_2.1.3 http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book-Z-H-14.html... [2] http://www.schemers.org/Documents/Standards/R5RS/HTML/r5rs-Z-H-9.html#%_idx_578 http://www.schemers.org/Documents/Standards/R5RS/HTML/r5rs-Z...