Raymond Toy wrote:
>>>>>>"Richard" == Richard Fateman <fateman@cs.berkeley.edu> writes:
>>>>>>
>
> Richard> My assumption is that the person would not download the free version from
> Richard> Franz, but a different (also free) version specifically for support
> Richard> of Maxima, and perhaps with all of Maxima included. I think it would
> Richard> have to be less restrictive in various ways than the usual free
> Richard> version. I think that what has to be specified (by us) is a list
> Richard> of necessary capabilities. I assume that Franz Inc. would not be
> Richard> happy with "just give us all the source and all the pre-compiled
> Richard> binaries and all the rights to redistribute without limitation"
> Richard> but we could ask for that:)
>
> Would this version be able to compile new user-written maxima code or
> would it run interpreted?
Even the current trial version or student version compiles, it just doesn't
write out the compiled code to a "fasl" file so it can be rapidly loaded.
My guess is we would want to be able to compile files of lisp additions
to make fasl files to make the code load faster and run faster. The fasl
files are different for different architectures, but the ordinary lisp code
would load without change on sun/x86/hp/mac/ etc. For what it is worth,
I believe that all x86 fasl files are the same (linux, windows).
> Nothing I do with maxima really takes long,
> so running interpreted isn't so bad. If compiled, then wouldn't Franz
> really be giving away the complete system with compiler and all since
> maxima gives access to the underlying lisp?
Yes. Which seems odd to me. That is, someone could take such a
free Maxima+Allegro and try to strip out the maxima code (or for
that matter, just leave it there!) and run some other lisp program.
I assume there is some way of Franz not "giving away the store"
but I don't know exactly how. But then the trial version pretty
much gives away the store and they still have a business.
>
> I'm just curious. I don't use the free versions of Allegro, for no
> particularly good reason.
>
> Ray
>