Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Kamin provides an encapsulated and a limited or simplified presentation of each of seven programming languages: Lisp, APL, SCHEME, SALS, CLU, Small Talk, and Prolog. Amply demonstrated are the similarities and the comparative cohesiveness among these languages as well as their semantic and conceptual differences. This material may be useful as a primer or as an introductory-level reference for these languages. However, the use of explanations through comparisons with other languages also described in the book may prove somewhat unsettling. Some prior programming knowledge is required, and an understanding of the Pascal language specifically, will be a substantial aid if not an absolute necessity. For each language covered, the complete code in Pascal, for an interpreter, is provided. These interpreters are necessarily truncated and less than efficient versions for the purposes of this book, but they are both significantly instructive and insightful. Additionally, there are discussions and exercises relative to how the interpreters may be modified to achieve improved performance. Throughout, Kamin strives to make manifest the aesthetic components of computer programming. All undergraduates. -E. G. Hook, formerly Gettysburg College