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From: ddyer@netcom.com (Dave Dyer)
Subject: Re: Java vs lisp (was: Re: Prolog vs. Lisp)
Message-ID: <ddyer-0304971121190001@192.0.2.1>
Sender: ddyer@netcom20.netcom.com
Organization: Andromeda Software
References: <3340DFEC.3C0F@netvision.net.il> <3341B6DE.6970@felix.cc.gatech.edu> <nagleE7zr39.CF1@netcom.com> <3365440d.698147468@newshost> <5huud5$fkt@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 19:21:18 GMT
Lines: 42
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.ai:45201 comp.lang.java.advocacy:7727 comp.lang.lisp:26288


Lets not just sling mud; all languages have their good and 
bad points, and many of them are not absolute but dependant
on the intended application.

Java and Common lisp share these advantages over most other languages:

   Garbage colleciton
   Strong memory protection
   Object orientation
   Modern exception handling
   Introspection (in java 1.1)

Common lisp is clearly superior in these areas:

   Macros
   Multiple inheritance
   Runtime semantics checking.

Java is clearly superior in these areas:

   Portability, Deliverability, Availability.
   Compile time semantics checking
   Automaticly generated documentation
   Dynamic linking (ability to distribute small, independant packages)
   Connectivity to the outside world.

Common lisp has these major problems:

   30 years of baggage it can't jettison
   "monolithic" runtime model.
   poor connectivity to anything non-lisp.
   lack of common graphics system.

Java has these major problems:

   Lack of macros, multiple inheritance
   Lack of dynamic un-linking
   Poor graphics subsystem.

-- 
My home page:  http://www.andromeda.com/people/ddyer/home.html
