Re: a free Unix Scheme compiler for Windows NT?

[robertb@xxxxxxxxx (robert)]

 > From: Marc Feeley <feeley@xxxxxxxxx>
 > Date: Tue  Oct  1,  6:16pm
 >
 > > Has anyone ported any free Unix-based Scheme compiler to Windows NT,
 > > perhaps via GNU-WIN32?  Facing a future of Visual C++ 4.0, I'm trying
 > > my best to find a more reasonable alternative.
 > 
 > Try Gambit-C... here is the information from the Scheme FAQ:
 > 
 > Gambit is an efficient implementation of Scheme based on an optimizing
 > compiler.  It conforms to the IEEE-Scheme standard (IEEE P1178) and
 > the Revised^4 Report on Scheme (R4RS) and supports the whole numeric
 > tower (i.e. integer, rational, real and complex numbers).  Gambit
 > extends the standards by providing: weak pairs, wills, string ports,
 > records, property lists, namespaces, futures, pretty printer,
 > debugger, and multitasking.  To make it portable and simplify
 > bootstrapping, the compiler is written in IEEE-Scheme and makes use of
 > a high-level abstract-machine (known as GVM) for the intermediate
 > representation.  A "Scheme-in-Scheme" approach was adopted to minimize
 > the amount of non-portable code in the system (nearly all of the
 > runtime library is written in Scheme including the interpreter and
 > debugger).  Three different variants of Gambit were produced:
 > 
 > Gambit-68K (first public release in 1990; last version: 2.0, june 1993):
 >   This is the original Gambit system with a native code back-end
 >   for Motorola 680x0.  It works on most 68K based Unix workstations
 >   and on the BBN GP1000 shared-memory multiprocessor.  The back-end
 >   for the GP1000 implements Multilisp's "future" parallel construct
 >   using lazy-task-creation (a very low overhead task spawning
 >   mechanism).
 >   ftp.iro.umontreal.ca:/pub/parallele/gambit/gamb68k.tar.Z
 > 
 > MacGambit (first public release in 1991; last version: 2.2.2, oct 1995):
 >   This is a port of Gambit-68K for the Macintosh.  It is a complete
 >   development environment, including a Scheme-aware editor, an online
 >   help system, and a linker to build standalone applications.  A
 >   drawing window for simple graphics and an interface to many of the
 >   Macintosh's "Toolbox" routines are available.  An executable
 >   MacGambit application is supplied with the distribution as well as
 >   all the sources (ThinkC 4.0 or CodeWarrior 6 or higher are needed to
 >   recompile the sources).
 >   ftp.iro.umontreal.ca:/pub/parallele/gambit/MacGambit.sea.hqx
 > 
 > Gambit-C (first public release in 1994; last version: 2.3.1, april 1996):
 >   In this variant of Gambit, the compiler generates highly portable
 >   C code that is reasonably efficient.  The primary goals of Gambit-C
 >   are portability and correctness (in particular it correctly implements
 >   tail-recursion across modules and uses a precise garbage-collector).
 >   Gambit-C runs on a wide range of Unix workstations, on Macintosh, and
 >   DOS/Windows.  It also supports these features: dynamic-loading
 >   of compiled files, C-interface (FFI), and a memory management system
 >   that expands and contracts the heap based on the program's needs.
 >   Sources:
 >     ftp://ftp.iro.umontreal.ca/pub/parallele/gambit/gambc.tgz
 >   Executables for Windows-95 and Windows-NT:
 >     ftp://ftp.iro.umontreal.ca/pub/parallele/gambit/gambc.zip
 > 
 > Gambit can be used freely for non-commercial uses (including academic
 > research and education).  A license is required to use Gambit
 > commercially (contact gambit@xxxxxxxxx).

Sorry, I didn't specify this in my original message: I'll be using this at my
workplace and my company isn't willing to shell out any money for a commercial
license.

But thanks anyway.