JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 14(20): 3370-3388, doi: 10.3217/jucs-014-20-3370
Custom Specializers in Object-Oriented Lisp
expand article infoJim Newton‡, Christophe Rhodes§
‡ Cadence Design Systems, Feldkirchen, Germany§ University of London New Cross, London, United Kingdom

Corresponding author: Jim Newton ( jimka@cadence.com )

© Jim Newton, Christophe Rhodes.
This article is freely available under the J.UCS Open Content License.
Citation: Newton J, Rhodes C (2008) Custom Specializers in Object-Oriented Lisp. JUCS - Journal of Universal Computer Science 14(20): 3370-3388. https://doi.org/10.3217/jucs-014-20-3370
Open Access
Abstract
We describe in this paper the implementation and use of custom specializers in two current dialects of Lisp: Skill and Common Lisp. We motivate the need for such specializers by appealing to clarity of expression, referring to experience in existing industrial applications. We discuss the implementation details of such user-defined specializers in both dialects of Lisp, detailing open problems with those implementations, and we sketch ideas for solving them.
Keywords
Specializer, generic function, Metaobject Protocol, Lisp