Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> Invisible wrote:
> >> Which is the functional language: FORTRAN, C, COBOL, or LISP?
> >
> > That's like saying "which is the high-level language: machine code,
> > assembly language, or C?"
>
> More like "which is the portable one?"
>
> At the time it was written, LISP was the only language that *could* be
> programmed in a functional way. You can't write functional COBOL or
> functional FORTRAN.
>
> Later, constructs were added to let to LISP you assign values and such.
>
> > That's a pretty glowing recommendation for Lisp. Assuming it's actually
> > true of course. ;-)
>
> I think you'd be surprised at some of the languages used in closed-source
> projects.

yep, a Lisp-like language was used by Naughty Dog to script AI in the Crash
Bandicoot games and even as far as the more recent Uncharted games by same
company for PS3.  OTOH, it was built as a culture within the company previous to
developments of python and Lua as more usable alternatives for the task...

this was in the 90's and early 2000's, when Lisp kind of made a resurgence
thanks to Paul Graham and his successful account of how Lisp allowed him beat
the averages.

Lisp is pretty much dead nowadays, even the flagship company for it, ITA
Software, today employs much java, python and C++... Lisp is mostly legacy.

even still, I'd say it's still used more than haskell... ;)

Post a reply to this message