Star Sapphire Common LISP
(ver 3.4)
Shareware made Abandoned Freeware
	

Star Sapphire Common LISP is being released as copyrighted, but unsupported.
It was popular in the 1990's as a tool for teaching LISP.  

An online manual can be found at: 
http://www.webweasel.com/lisp/doc/index.htm


Star Sapphire Common LISP 3.4 provides a full-featured yet low cost 
environment for writing, debugging and running Common LISP programs on 
the PC. The product represents over twenty programmer years of effort and 
was under development from 1984 until 1995. Star Sapphire Common LISP is 
suitable for student, home and business users alike.


Common LISP implementation
--------------------------

Implements most of the features of Common LISP, the language, by Guy Steele, 
first edition, and includes the Common LISP Object System (CLOS). The 3.4 
version has been revised for conformance with the proposed ANSI Common LISP. 
The implementation includes all standard Common LISP features including 
lexical and dynamic scoping, bignums, hash tables, multi-dimensional arrays, 
defsetf, bit vectors, closures, lambda list keywords, defmacro, defstruct, 
multiple return values, generalized sequences, a sort routine, complex numbers, 
ratios, bignums and so on. The implementation has been extensively cross-checked 
and validated from results generated on other LISP implementations.


Memory Management
-----------------

Uses disk space or extended memory to store workspaces of up to 8Mb. Workspace 
is configurable at startup using command line flags. Uses mark and sweep method 
for garbage collection. Virtual and extended memory management is transparent 
to the programmer and has been optimized for the PC.


LISP environment
----------------

The interpreter incrementally compiles Common LISP and evaluates the result; 
able to produce and load fastload files from LISP source files via 
'compile-file'. Interpreter implements command line history retrieval using 
arrow keys and blinks matching parenthesis. Screen colors are configurable 
and 43/50 row mode is supported on EGA/VGA both in the interpreter and editor. 
Keys in interpreter can be mapped to arbitrary LISP commands.


EMACS editor
------------

Embedded and standalone versions provided; MicroEmacs derivative with LISP 
adaptations (key chords, autoindent, parenthesis matching). Editor allows 
multiple buffer windows, has on-line help, popup directory file chooser, 
access to LISP help files and an easy-to-use utility for reconfiguring 
keystrokes.


Source code examples
--------------------

Includes visual "Towers of Hanoi" solver, and source code for a detailed 
implementation of the "Colossal Cave Adventure" (about 1200 lines of LISP), 
which illustrates database management and command parsing in LISP.


PC functions
------------

Includes graphics interface for VGA, EGA, CGA and Hercules to draw points, 
lines, circles, triangles, and perform fill. A mouse driven text screen design 
utility, as well as a popup directory selection tool, file browser and data 
entry facility are included. Text functions allow cursor motion and direct 
screen access. Includes peek and poke functions, and functions for sound, 
interrupt, port and mouse access. Run DOS commands via the shell escape #! or 
the 'OS' function.


Debugging environment
---------------------

Includes a command driven debugger which can be toggled on or off and activated 
using the 'break' function. Includes describe, step, apropos, trace, time, 
backtracing, and all other standard Common LISP debugging functions.


Requirements
------------

A PC compatible running DOS with at least 640Kb and a hard disk. Optionally 
supports up to 8Mb of extended memory, a Microsoft compatible mouse, and 
graphics output to many standard graphics adaptors (see PC functions above). 
Can run on any 80x86 based system including 8086 through Pentium. A 16Mhz 386 
PC or faster with 4Mb memory is recommended but not required.