Subject: Re: Allegro compilation warnings
From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.net>
Date: 2000/10/16
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
Message-ID: <3180723380733118@naggum.net>

* Paolo Amoroso <amoroso@mclink.it>
| MK-DEFSYSTEM comes with good documentation. Would that be a good
| starting point for creating a standard? What kind of work would it
| take to turn that documentation into a useful standard?

  Some sort of agreement on (A) what the language implemented by the
  system is (a specification), (B) what the language implemented by
  the system is not (a scope), (C) what constitues local enhancements
  and additions as opposed to basic features (a conformance clause).

  Then we would have a good starting point.  That we already have one
  implementation is not in and by itself a negative.  That we have
  _only_ one, is.  A specifcation must be sufficiently precise to
  allow multiple implementations, even with multiple sets of local
  enhancements and local features.

  I think we need a standard defsystem.  I don't think we should use
  existing code for that job just because it's there.  Therefore, the
  questions you ask are very pertinent to the development of a real
  standard and real formal agreement.

#:Erik
-- 
  I agree with everything you say, but I would
  attack to death your right to say it.
				-- Tom Stoppard