7 ms·

Programming in Prolog back in the 1980s was a pleasant experience. I wrote some useful programs with Prolog but as I remember that era, the language made a brie

by jrapdx3 2mo ago

Programming in Prolog back in the 1980s was a pleasant experience. I wrote some useful programs with Prolog but as I remember that era, the language made a brief splash and soon relegated to niche settings. Nowadays I enjoy programming in Scheme, which I'd guess is chosen by developers about as often as Prolog. Using Scheme stirs up memories of my Prolog experience. Intuitively it seems like these PLs require or stimulate a similar thinking process that appeals to some of us. I haven't pursued this idea, but it lingers in my brain. Curiously both PLs were developed in the early 1970s and first official versions released in 1975. Is it possible the authors of Scheme knew about and were influenced by Prolog? Not too likely, but Prolog's creators did spend some time at MIT, the birthplace of Scheme, so the odds are a bit better than 0.

prabhanjana_c 2mo ago
Just heard the Scheme Programming language. Great to know that.
- WalterGR 2mo ago
  Your mind is about to be blown! I'm jealous. After learning of Scheme, if you truly want to dive into the deep end of programming, the 'next step' is the book The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs aka SICP. By no means is it the required next step after learning of Scheme - of course - but if you're looking for the programming book to have when you're shipwrecked on a desert island, that's the one. SICP: https://mitp-content-server.mit.edu/books/content/sectbyfn/books_pres_0/6515/sicp.zip/index.html https://mitp-content-server.mit.edu/books/content/sectbyfn/b...
leoc 2mo ago
To the extent that they are connected it's most likely through Planner: see the OP and the other HOPL2 https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/154766 https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/154766 paper "The Evolution of Lisp" https://www.dreamsongs.com/Files/HOPL2-Uncut.pdf https://www.dreamsongs.com/Files/HOPL2-Uncut.pdf [extended version]. (They also both show up in Donald MacKenzie's Mechanising Proof https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262632959/mechanizing-proof/ https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262632959/mechanizing-proof/ https://archive.org/details/mechanizingproof0000mack/ https://archive.org/details/mechanizingproof0000mack/ though it doesn't really connect them.)
- WalterGR 2mo ago
  HoPL = History of Programming Languages It's a 'subset' of ACM SIGPLAN (Special Interest Group on Programming Languages) and is absolutely fascinating, if, you know, you're into that sort of thing. The conference proceedings are usually locked up in academic libraries. Sometimes it's fun to hold a physical copy in one's hands... If that's one's cup of tea, one's local city's public library may have a borrowing arrangement with local / regional / state college libraries. For example, at any public city library in California, one can request and then typically borrow* a book from any California State University / University of California library. * With restrictions, I'm sure...
WalterGR 2mo ago
> … 1980s… as I remember that era, the language made a brief splash and soon relegated to niche settings. Prolog was huge in expert systems[0]. It (and they) fell victim to the Second AI Winter[1]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_system [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_winter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_winter

by jrapdx3 2mo ago

prabhanjana_c 2mo ago

Just heard the Scheme Programming language. Great to know that.

WalterGR 2mo ago
Your mind is about to be blown! I'm jealous. After learning of Scheme, if you truly want to dive into the deep end of programming, the 'next step' is the book The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs aka SICP. By no means is it the required next step after learning of Scheme - of course - but if you're looking for the programming book to have when you're shipwrecked on a desert island, that's the one. SICP: https://mitp-content-server.mit.edu/books/content/sectbyfn/books_pres_0/6515/sicp.zip/index.html https://mitp-content-server.mit.edu/books/content/sectbyfn/b...

leoc 2mo ago

To the extent that they are connected it's most likely through Planner: see the OP and the other HOPL2 https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/154766 https://dl.acm.org/doi/proceedings/10.1145/154766 paper "The Evolution of Lisp" https://www.dreamsongs.com/Files/HOPL2-Uncut.pdf https://www.dreamsongs.com/Files/HOPL2-Uncut.pdf [extended version]. (They also both show up in Donald MacKenzie's Mechanising Proof https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262632959/mechanizing-proof/ https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262632959/mechanizing-proof/ https://archive.org/details/mechanizingproof0000mack/ https://archive.org/details/mechanizingproof0000mack/ though it doesn't really connect them.)

WalterGR 2mo ago
HoPL = History of Programming Languages It's a 'subset' of ACM SIGPLAN (Special Interest Group on Programming Languages) and is absolutely fascinating, if, you know, you're into that sort of thing. The conference proceedings are usually locked up in academic libraries. Sometimes it's fun to hold a physical copy in one's hands... If that's one's cup of tea, one's local city's public library may have a borrowing arrangement with local / regional / state college libraries. For example, at any public city library in California, one can request and then typically borrow* a book from any California State University / University of California library. * With restrictions, I'm sure...

WalterGR 2mo ago

> … 1980s… as I remember that era, the language made a brief splash and soon relegated to niche settings. Prolog was huge in expert systems[0]. It (and they) fell victim to the Second AI Winter[1]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_system [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_winter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_winter