RE: [Axiom-developer] learning Lisp

[Bill Page]

William,

On December 3, 2005 4:39 PM you wrote:

>
> Some naive questions. I know how to enter a lisp command
> under Axiom interpreter
>
> )lisp '(aa bb cc)
>
> but is there a way to read a lisp program and run it? Is
> there a way to run a lisp session interactively without
> having to prefix every line with )lisp?

The simplist way to "get into lisp" from within Axiom is the
')fin' command. See page 1018 of the Axiom book (book2.pdf):

1.10 )fin
Command Description:
This command is used by Axiom developers to leave the Axiom
system and return to the underlying Common Lisp system. To
return to Axiom, issue the "(|spad|)" function call to
Common Lisp.

> Is it "safe" to run lisp command in an experimental fashion
> -- I am concerned with scope?
>
> If not under Axiom, what is your recommendation for an
> environment to learn lisp?
>

Of course you can run GCL (which is the lisp used in the
current distribution of Axiom) stand alone. If you built
Axiom from source then you should be able to find gcl itself
here:

./lsp/gcl-2.6.7/unixport/saved_gcl

But for really learning lisp the "modern way" you might be
better off with a more ANSI compliant lisp like clisp plus
some the usual lisp programmer tools like emacs and Slime.

----------

I have been thinking about adding a section to the MathAction
web site specifically about lisp, learning lisp, lisp as
used in Axiom etc. If you have any ideas about this as someone
who knows Axiom and wants to learn more about lisp, I would
be very interested.

Regards,
Bill Page.