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New glossary entries and Jargon File reference #292

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Add glossary entries, link Jargon File
pamoroso Aug 14, 2025
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Revise entries AltoLisp, Briefing Blurb, Package
pamoroso Aug 15, 2025
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14 changes: 14 additions & 0 deletions content/en/history/glossary/_index.md
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Expand Up @@ -9,11 +9,19 @@ type: docs

The names “Medley,” "Interlisp-D," “Interlisp.org,” “Common Lisp,” etc. are often used in confusing ways. We’re talking about a lot of different things that evolved over decades. These are cemented in by usage in different publications over time. We hope this glossary of terms will help.

For general computer terminology and lore see [The Hacker's Dictionary](https://www.dourish.com/goodies/jargon.html) aka Jargon File.

## Vocabulary and relationships

AltoLisp
: An (unsuccessful) attempt to build a Lisp-based OS for running Interlisp on an Alto.
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@masinter masinter Aug 14, 2025

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I'm not sure "(unsuccessful)" captures the status of AltoLisp. It was an initial foray into building a microcoded Lisp implementation following Peter Deutch's paper on compact Lisp programs. AltoLisp was the basis for DoradoLisp with new microcode. AltoLisp failed because the "working set" for a "demand paged" Lisp system was bigger than the amount of memory available on the Alto.

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@pamoroso pamoroso Aug 14, 2025

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AltoLisp is actually a preexisting entry not in this PR but I can of course change it to "An attempt to build a microcoded Lisp-based OS for running Interlisp on an Alto", "An experimental microcoded implementation of a Lisp-based OS for running Interlisp on an Alto", or something else.

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@hjellinek hjellinek Aug 14, 2025

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"An experimental microcoded implementation of Interlisp on an Alto personal computer."

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@pamoroso pamoroso Aug 14, 2025

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I'll go with your suggestion too.


Break package
: The Interlisp subsystem that comprises the debugger (also known as break window) and other debugging facilities. Named after the `BREAK` function and breakpoints.

Briefing Blurb
: Any one of the technical reports in a series that introduced Xerox PARC newcomers to the computing and network environment at the Computer Science Laboratory. Written in an upbeat style, their titles followed a pattern that included the expression "Briefing Blurb" such as *The Alto-Dolphin-Dorado Briefing Blurb: Exploring the Ethernet with Mouse and Keyboard* and *The Briefing Blurb: Exploring the Ethernet with Mouse and Keyboard*.
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@masinter masinter Aug 14, 2025

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The PARC use of "briefing blurb" was indeed brief (a "blurb") and meant to "brief" a newcomer to the parc milieu, but it wasn't a "technical report" (which is something you might make at the end of a project or significant milestone). It contained folklore, use patterns, usage notes, etc. of various computing environments. Typically the idea was to assign a newcomer to the group to update the group's briefing blurb. This insured that it was frequently updated and also the task of updating was also educational.

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@pamoroso pamoroso Aug 14, 2025

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What about "Any one of the internal documents in a series that introduced Xerox PARC newcomers..."?

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@hjellinek hjellinek Aug 14, 2025

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"One of the several documents that introduced Xerox PARC newcomers to the computing and network environment of the Computer Science Laboratory....."

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@pamoroso pamoroso Aug 14, 2025

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I'll go with this.


Carol, Fugue, Harmony, Intermezzo, Koto, Lyric, Medley
: Named releases of Interlisp-D. All are obsolete except Medley.

Expand All @@ -35,6 +43,9 @@ Starting with the Lyric release of Interlisp-D and then the Medley release, the
Dfasl
: A compiled form of Medley Interlisp files with the extension ".dfasl".

Display
: Denotes a program or system with a Graphical User Interface or a full screen character interface, as opposed to a line oriented interface like a teletype. In expressions like "display oriented editor" or "display editor".

DLISP
: By Warren Teitelman: a first attempt at building a “Display” (GUI) with Interlisp running on MAXC (a PDP-10 clone) connected by Ethernet to a Xerox Alto acting
as a graphics terminal.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -106,6 +117,9 @@ Maiko
Sun Microsystems SPARC processor workstation, initially developed by
Fuji Xerox. Subsequently ported to little-endian processors and other operating systems.

Package
: An Interlisp subsystem such as the break package (q.v.) or the window package (window system). Not to be confused with Common Lisp packages or packaged applications.
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@masinter masinter Aug 14, 2025

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How about leading with the ambiguity:

The term Package has several different meanings depending on the context:

  • Informally, a collection of utilities or submodule in Interlisp (the "break package" and the "file package")
  • A feature of Commmon Lisp symbol support; the package system allows the combining of Interlisp symbols (written with "IL:" prefix) and Common Lisp symbols (written with a "lisp:" prefix).

There is no 'window package' so pick another example.

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@pamoroso pamoroso Aug 14, 2025

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Okay thanks I'll pick your version.

I heard Richard Burton mention the window package in a recent meeting and assumed the expression was more widely used.

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@hjellinek hjellinek Aug 14, 2025

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The IRM mentions:

  • file package
  • "the WHEREIS library package"
  • '"library" packages'
  • record package
  • DWIM package
  • network packages
    etc.


SDL
: Structured Design Language.

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