22 Jun
2021
22 Jun
'21
12:44 p.m.
On Jun 22, 2021, at 3:40 PM, ben via cctalk <cctalk
at classiccmp.org> wrote:
...
Lisp is evaluated, not compiled from what little I have read.
If I could read the papers (for free) I could know more.
Refal "Recursive functions algorithmic language" from Russia
looks just what I was looking for. Around since 1966.
Ben.
Any language can be interpreted or compiled. For some languages, like LISP and TECO,
interpreting is a rather natural implementation techniques, while for others (C, ALGOL)
compilation is the obvious answer. But either is possible.
For example, there is a compiled TECO -- it turns the editor commands into PDP-10 machine
code and then executes it (Stevens TECO, if I remember right).
Of course there are implementations that are borderline between the two. The common
Python implementation is an example, with its bytecode that is interpreted. Forth is
partly bytecode and partly straight machine code. The Electrologica ALGOL compilers used
somewhat similar mixtures of pseudocode and machine code. DEC's PDP-11 Fortran IV
used bytecode, while Fortran IV-Plus uses machine code. (Two compilers for the same
machine, two different approaches.)
paul