LISP and Symbolic Computation, 4(2)107-141
Free Variables and First-Class EnvironmentsJames S. Miller, Computer Science Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Guillermo J. Rozas, Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| Abstract: A simple set of extensions to the SCHEME language removes the need for a distinguished top level interaction environment by providing first-class environments. These extensions also provide a powerful mechanism for code packaging and may be used to implement simple object-oriented systems. In addition, a mechanism is presented that implements compiled references to free variables as efficiently as in languages like C, provided the code does not directly manipulate first-class environments. The mechanism requires a simple static analysis performed by the compiler and meshes with a slower mechanism used by both interpreted code and compiled code that manipulates first-class environments. |
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