A Comparison of List-Processing Computer Languages (Including a Detailed Comparison of COMIT, IPL-V, LISP 1.5, and SLIP) A detailed comparison is presented of COMIT, IPL-V, LISP 1.5 and SLIP - four well-known computer programming languages which, among them, exhibit all the principal characteristics of existing list-processing languages. Important common features of list-processing languages are reviewed: forms of data structures which are manipulated, necessity for dynamic allocation of storage, use of pushdown stores, and use of recursive operations. Principal differences between the four languages under consideration are detailed: representations of data, both by the programmer and within the machine; methods for storage allocation; programming formalisms and special processes available, including arithmetic facilities; and usability in terms of availability, documentation, learning aids and debugging facilities. A rough comparison shows that all the languages discussed have approximately the same speed. Finally, the authors give some heuristics to aid in the selection of one of these languages for use in particular problem applications, concluding that no one of the languages considered is distinctly superior in all possible list-processing applications. CACM April, 1964 Bobrow, D. G. Raphael, B. CA640410 JB March 10, 1978 1:37 AM 1024 4 1098 1051 4 1098 1098 4 1098 1214 4 1098 1380 4 1098 1388 4 1098 1393 4 1098 1485 4 1098 1487 4 1098 1549 4 1098 1570 4 1098 1878 4 1098 1946 4 1098 1957 4 1098 2168 4 1098 2723 4 1098 2857 4 1098 3112 4 1098 1098 5 1098 1098 5 1098 1098 5 1098 1570 5 1098 1945 5 1098 2314 5 1098 731 5 1098 823 6 1098 914 6 1098 915 6 1098 917 6 1098 984 6 1098 989 6 1098 990 6 1098 1012 6 1098 1084 6 1098 1098 6 1098 1098 6 1098 1098 6 1098 1122 6 1098 1138 6 1098 1139 6 1098 1141 6 1098 1200 6 1098 1223 6 1098 1265 6 1098 1336 6 1098 1396 6 1098 1455 6 1098 1477 6 1098 1487 6 1098 1491 6 1098 1496 6 1098 1626 6 1098 2082 6 1098 2148 6 1098 483 6 1098 584 6 1098 669 6 1098 680 6 1098 731 6 1098 763 6 1098