language: en

Importing Pre-packaged Software into Lisp: Experience with Arbitrary-Precision Floating-Point Numbers

Richard J. Fateman
University of California at Berkeley
July 6, 2000

Abstract We advocate the use of Common Lisp as a powerful glue for building scientific computing environments. Naturally one then has to address mixing pre-existing (non Lisp) code into this system. We provide a specific example as an elaborate FORTRAN system written by David Bailey for arbitrary-precision floating-point numeric calculation. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of wholesale importing into Lisp. A major advantage is being able to use state-of-the art packaged software sooner, while overcoming the disadvantages caused by FORTRAN's traditional batch orientation and weak storage model. In this paper we emphasize in particular how effective use of imported systems may require one to address the contrast between the functional (Lisp-like) versus state-transition-based (Fortran-like) approaches to dealing with compound objects. While our example is high-precision floats, other highly useful packages including those for simulation, PDE solutions, signal processing, statistical computation, etc. may also benefit by similar consideration.

1 Introduction