Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!sunybcs!marvin!axaris
From: axaris@cs.buffalo.edu (Vassilios Axaris)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.prolog
Subject: Re: logic programs -> procedural lang?
Summary: Type checking in Prolog
Keywords: Prolog, typing, compiler efficiency
Message-ID: <10822@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Date: 24 Sep 89 19:31:09 GMT
References: <27335@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> <869@gamera.cs.utexas.edu>
Reply-To: axaris@cs.buffalo.edu (Vassilios Axaris)
Organization: SUNY @ Buffalo
Lines: 15


Hello,

I have been surprized when I first got my Turbo Prolog compiler, in that I was
required to specify the type of objects being used. Later, I realized that even
though this was putting a burden on the programmer, as well as deviating from
the standard, it could be (as it was I believe) useful in minimizing the runtime
type checking of the objects, in Common Lisp manner. In today's RISC world, I
think it would be very useful to include such declarations to aid the compiler
in creating efficient code, by minimizing tag processing. 
How does the Prolog community feel about such an addition? Is it reasonable to 
do it for the sake of improved execution speed on workstation type environments?

Vassilios E. Axaris
SUNY/Buffalo Computer Engineering