Ask Kent M. Pitman About Lisp, Scheme And More

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Ask Kent M. Pitman About Lisp, Scheme And More

Posted by timothy on Friday October 12, 2001 @05:00AM from the by-special-reader-request dept.

Kent M. Pitman has been programming in Scheme and Lisp, and contributing to the design of those languages, for a long time -- 24 years. He was a technical contributor and an international representative for the ANSI subcommittee that standardized Common Lisp, and in that capacity directed the design of Lisp's error system. Scheme may be better known as a teaching language, but both Scheme and Lisp have applications (as any Emacs user knows) that go far beyond this. Now's your chance to ask him about the pros and cons of those two languages, circa 2001 A.D. Kent also has an interesting, ambivalent take on Free software that's worth noting in an atmosphere where complex issues are often oversimplified and radicalized. Since he's someone who's helped develop standards, this is perhaps a timely issue on which to probe his opinion. It's also a good time to get acquainted with things he's written, which might interest you just as much as his programming. (Soap opera parodies, anyone?) So suggest questions for Kent below (please, one per post) -- we'll pass along the highest-rated ones for him to answer, and Kent will get back soon with his answers.

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adequacy by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:03 · Score: -1, Offtopic

adequacy
Re:This by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:09 · Score: -1, Offtopic

I claim your fp as my own. Thanks.

- The AC Avenger

I like the way lil' boys feel!
just because he has a lisp by gonar · 2001-10-12 05:24 · Score: -1, Offtopic

that's no reason to think he is scheming...

--
The difference between Theory and Practice is greater in Practice than in Theory.
I must object! by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:30 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Dear Sirs,

As someone pretnding to be a Muslim, I find that I must strenously object to the parent post!

As anyone whoe isn't a beknighted homicidal goober would surely know, the phrase "Infinite Justice" is highly offense to towel-headed camel-rapers everywhere. Only Allah can grant "Infinite Justice", and for mere mortals to bandy such terms around is highly arrogant!

Yours truly,
Col. A.J. Sandnigger
Bumfuk, Egypt
Re:This by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:31 · Score: -1, Offtopic

YHBT! YHL! HAND!

- The AC Avenger

I like the way lil' boys feel!
Re:WARNING!! OFFENSIVE LINK ABOVE!!! by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:35 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Mohammed Zahir Shah
Re:The prerequisite FP question by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:48 · Score: -1, Offtopic

What are your thoughts about Haskell

You mean Colleen? I think she's YUMMY!

Although she can't act worth a damn.
My friend andrew has a lisp! by Anonymous Coward · 2001-10-12 05:50 · Score: -1, Offtopic

he wants a direct link to teh goatse man picture too! goatse in his mouth! NOW!