HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dpbsmith@world.std.com (Daniel P. B. Smith)
Subject: Re: TRAC Specification
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 18:31:05 GMT

I fiddled with TRAC in the mid-sixties.  I thought it was way cool.
I don't remember much, except that it stood for "Text Reckoning and
Compiling," it was a VERY pure macro string-replacmeent environment,
it had some of the flavor of things like the UNIX shells and the
C preprocessor and STAGE2.  I think the main superiority was that
it carefully distinguished between levels of quoting and expansion
in a way that most macro processors don't.  I believe \(expression)
would evaluate the expression and insert the resulting text, while
\\(expression) would evaluate it, RESCAN it, and insert it, or
some such.

I would suggest that maybe Peter Deutsch might know.  I seem to have
an email address for him:

   deutsch@SMLI.Eng.Sun.COM

which puzzles me, actually, since I thought he was working at PARCPlace...

-- 
Daniel P. B. Smith
dpbsmith@world.std.com
Xref: sparky comp.lang.misc:4074 comp.lang.eiffel:1389 comp.object:4654
From: kudut@hamp.hampshire.edu
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: SEARCH.BAT - BBS file listings searcher.
Date: 31 Dec 92 03:41:58 GMT
Organization: Hampshire College

@echo off
REM MS-DOS ignores all lines with REM in front of them.  Please keep them
REM in this batch file, though, as you or someone else might need to
REM reference to this in the future.  Kenneth Udut, on 12/28/1992
REM
REM Necessary files: GREP or similar file that searches through text files.
REM The -i parameter means to ignore case (upper or lower).
REM MS-DOS's "FIND" command will work for files under 64K in length.
REM
REM LIST.  You can use TYPE D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1 | MORE  if you wish or
REM some other text file viewing program, even Wordperfect :-)
REM

REM checks if user typed in anything.  If not, go to JAIL.
if "%1" == "" GOTO JAIL

REM Glory lines, as well as useful info about what the user is doing.
echo _________________________________________________________________________
echo.
echo Simple ASCII Information Extractor Version 1.32, Kenneth Udut  12/29/1992
echo.
ECHO You are searching through all of the text files in D:\SEARCH for "%1".
echo The results of this search will be placed in D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1.
echo _________________________________________________________________________
echo.
echo Searching for "%1" in D:\SEARCH\*.* ...  Please be patient.
echo.

REM Places Date and Time plus a blank line in %1.
echo. | more | date | find "Cur" > D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1
echo. | more | time | find "Cur" >> D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1
echo. >> D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1

REM You can see what's going on with ECHO ON.
REM GREP is a program that searches through text files.  The program FIND,
REM which comes with MS-DOS, works for files under 64K in length.  It is
REM worth your while to search for a program called GREP or with the word
REM GREP in its name, or just any kind of command-line text search program.
REM BEEP is a program I have that beeps when you type it.  You can remove it.
REM LIST is the program that lists the results of the file.  You can use the
REM line TYPE D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1 | MORE if you wish.
@echo on
GREP -i "%1" D:\SEARCH\*.* >> D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1
BEEP
LIST D:\SEARCH\RESULTS\%1
@echo off
GOTO END


REM In case the user didn't type it a file name, the batch file skips to here.

:JAIL
@echo off
echo Syntax: SEARCH whatyouwant
echo.
echo You may need to customize SEARCH.BAT for your own use.  Please contact
echo Kenneth Udut at (908) 241-6246, on The Juice Bar BBS (908) 298-0764,
echo or via the Internet at kudut@hamp.hampshire.edu if you need help.
echo.
echo Best Bet of all:  Contact your local computer guru.  Every place has at
echo least one.  :)                                                    --Ken
echo.
echo Finished!                                      CopyMight (c) 12/28/1992
echo.
beep
beep

:END
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: TRAC Specification
Organization: I.E.C.C.
Date: 3 Jan 93 13:31:08 EST (Sun)
From: johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine)

TRAC was first documented in an article in the CACM in about 1965 by Cal
Mooers and Peter Deutsch.  He later printed up some defining documents
under the imprint of Rockford Research, Mooers' little company.  Rockford
Research is long gone, but maybe Mooers still has copies. I've been
meaning to get back in touch with him, since he lives about three blocks
from here.

Trac is an interesting language for several reasons.  Technically, it is
the only macro-generator I've ever seen that makes a clean distinction
between macro scanning and expansion on the one hand and I/O on the other.
On the legal front, Trac was the first language where someone used
trademark law to try to regulate the quality of implementations by not
letting people use the trademark unless the implementation was up to
snuff.  This predated the DOD's use of the Ada trademark by about 20
years.  (The first trademarked language name was Fortran, but IBM gave up
the trademark before 1960 and never made the use of the name an issue.)

There were lots of Trac intepreters over the years.  I worked on two of
them with Peter Eichenberger before 1970.  One was for the PDP-10,
originally with the RESISTORS, and later at Yale, where as an
undergraduate I used it to prototype an APL to Basic compiler in 1972
(which I later learned was at the time probably state-of-the-art) and to
write what may have been the first outlining word processor which I used
to write my PhD thesis.  We also did a PDP-11 Trac processor which Peter
spiffed up as a summer student at Western Electric and may have been given
to DECUS.  Other notable Trac processors include Deutch's original PDP-1
version, one that Mooers' did for the PDP-10, and Claude Kagan's greatly
expanded version for the PDP-8, PDP-10, and later Z-80 (they shared
considerable source code, using a lot of macros.)  The Z-80 version turned
into sam76 when Kagan had a falling out with Mooers.  Kagan usually used
his middle names Anselme Roichel on sam76 documentation to avoid giving
the erroneous impression that the sam76 work was related to his day job at
Western Electric research.

Preston Briggs at Rice (preston@rice.edu) whipped up a little Trac
interpreter about a year ago which he would probably be happy to give
away.

Regards,
John Levine, comp.compilers moderator
johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us or {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Date:         Mon, 21 Dec 1992 10:42:00 LCL
From:         Heinz Flemming <RZ36@DKAUNI2.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: REXX under MS-DOS

> I'm just in the process of switching from Amiga to MS-DOS. Now I called
> several software sellers here in Germany asking for REXX under MS-DOS and
> they had never heard of it. Could some kind soul tell me if there is such
> a thing as REXX under MS-DOS or if it is only available under OS2? If it
> exists, which company produces the program? Any idea how I could get hold
> of it? Thanks in advance

Ich habe die REXX-Version 2.0 fuer MS DOS der Firma
    Mansfield Software Group
    P.O. Box 532
    Storrs, CT 06268

\Heinz

Heinz Flemming (RZ36@DKAUNI2.BITNET)
Universitaet Karlsruhe
Zirkel 2
D-7500 Karlsruhe 1
Tel. 0721 - 608 4040
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
From: acus02@ems13.corp.mot.com (David McAnally)
Subject: re: Lower-case alphabetic set
Reply-To: acus02@email.mot.com
Organization: Motorola, Inc.
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 02:27:08 GMT

In article <REXXLIST%93010320580660@OHSTVMA.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU>  writes:
> Hello netters!
> 
> I found that, there's a function to translate all words to upper case
> but I could'nt find in HELP REXX to form the words from upper case to
> lower case by using a function. Could anyone help me to solve this
> problem?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> -WAN-

Although there isn't a specific "lower" case translation function, you can  
create one, or do the same thing using the "translate()" function. Create a  
procedure or subroutine function something like the following. (my editor  
probably wraps the long line, but you get the idea)

/* lower case REXX function (opposite of UPPER function) */
parse arg instring
return  
TRANSLATE(instring,'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz','ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ' 
)

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| David McAnally                     | EMail: acus02@waccvm.corp.mot.com  |
| Motorola Corp. Computer Services   |  Next: acus02@ems13.corp.mot.com   |
| CS / Application Engineering       |                                    |
| M/D AZ49 R3148                     |                                    |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: ornoth@wonky.UUCP (David A. Liscomb)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Subject: PC-Rexx & Windows & Kedit
Date: 29 Dec 92 20:18:18 GMT

I'm very pleased with both Kedit and PC-Rexx. I've been able to port
tons of code down from VM to DOS, including some large resource-
intensive programs. Kedit (especially when paired with PC-Rexx) is
wonderful, supporting nearly everything Xedit does, plus adding useful
PC techniques like positioning the cursor with the mouse, mouse-based
cut and paste (line, block, AND stream), scroll bars, a customizable
mouse action bar, word wrap, and more. I've been an Xedit fan for 10
years; Kedit is not only a great port of my once favorite editor - but
because of the extensions it has, Kedit _has become_ my favorite editor.

Now for the question. I got a flier recently for a for-Windows version
of PC-Rexx. Has anyone tried this product, and how does it compare? Do
tell!

Enthusiastically,

-David/Orny Liscomb                  This package sold by weight, not
 Systems Programming Team Leader     by volume. Some settling may occur
 MediQual Systems Inc.               during shipment.
 Westborough, MA USA

Your_Insult: I saw you water a saint bernard with a inscrutable person
             at last rites for a bag lady.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Date:         Mon, 4 Jan 1993 09:49:08 MAL
From:         Wan Hasan Abdullah <WAN@UTMJB.BITNET>
Subject:      Lower-case alphabetic set

Hello netters!

I found that, there's a function to translate all words to upper case
but I could'nt find in HELP REXX to form the words from upper case to
lower case by using a function. Could anyone help me to solve this
problem?

Thanks in advance.

-WAN-
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Subject: Re: REXX under MS-DOS
From: oecn_smith@mec.ohio.gov
Date: 23 Dec 92 15:57:45 -0500
Reply-To: smith@leeca.oecn.ohio.gov
Distribution: world
Organization: Metrop. Educ. Council, Columbus, OH

In article <BzHz9n.J0B@hatch.socal.com>, richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg) writes:
> 
> Personal Rexx from Mansfield.  I don't have their address, but perhaps
> Dr Gomberg (who uses it) can supply it.  Also check out Kedit from them.
> After 15 minutes with it, it will be the only editor you will ever use.
> And, You can write Kedit macros in Presonal Rexx.
> -- 
> Rich Greenberg      Work: rmg50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com   310-417-8999
> N6LRT               Play: richg@hatch.socal.com       310-649-0238
> What?   Me speak for Amdahl?  Surely you jest....

Well, I just called 2 (thats *TWO*) software houses looking for it, both of
them told me they had no listing for either Rexx *OR* Mansfield :-(  Now, I
imagine that it is partly my fault becuase I couldn't remember the exact name
for the interpreter/compiler, but I was reasonably sure it was by Mansfield.

Oh well.  I will second the mention of kedit.  I wish I still had access to a
copy.

bob -- smith@leeca.oecn.ohio.gov

Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Date:         Tue, 29 Dec 1992 08:30:13 PST
From:         Dave Gomberg <GOMBERG@UCSFVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Even/Odd rounding

Mike, I am still not sure I understand this arbitrary precision business.
You only need to detect the case of exactly .50000000000000000000..., since
that is the only place the even/odd result differs from the round .5 up
rule.  Or am I missing something?   (Probably)   Dave

Dave Gomberg    GOMBERG@UCSFVM  Internet node UCSFVM.UCSF.EDU     fax-> 7797
Seven Gateview Court, San Francisco CA 94116-1941      voice-> (415)731-7793
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Date:         Wed, 23 Dec 1992 14:13:45 PST
From:         Dave Gomberg <GOMBERG@UCSFVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: REXX under MS-DOS
              23 Dec 1992 15:57:45 -0500 from <oecn_smith@MEC.OHIO.GOV>

Personal REXX for DOS is available from Quercus Systems, Box 2157,
Saratoga CA 95070 for $125 or so.


KEDIT for DOS and OS/2 is available from Mansfield Software Group,
Box 532, Storrs CT 06268     203-429-8402

Dave Gomberg    GOMBERG@UCSFVM  Internet node UCSFVM.UCSF.EDU     fax-> 7797
Seven Gateview Court, San Francisco CA 94116-1941      voice-> (415)731-7793
From: "jeff zeitlin" <jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Subject: rexx under ms-dos
Date: 24 Dec 92 02:57:55 EST
Reply-To: "jeff zeitlin" <jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Executive Networks Information

R::>> I'm just in the process of switching from Amiga to MS-DOS. Now I called
 ::>> several software sellers here in Germany asking for REXX under MS-DOS and
 ::>> they had never heard of it. Could some kind soul tell me if there is such
 ::>> a thing as REXX under MS-DOS or if it is only available under OS2? If it
 ::>> exists, which company produces the program? Any idea how I could get hold
 ::>> of it? Thanks in advance

R::>Ich habe die REXX-Version 2.0 fuer MS DOS der Firma
 ::>    Mansfield Software Group
 ::>    P.O. Box 532
 ::>    Storrs, CT 06268

 REXX (Personal REXX) for MS-DOS is at release level 3.0, and 
 support and marketing has been taken over by 

 Quercus Systems
 PO BOX 2157
 Saratoga, CA  95070

 Telephone +1 408/867.7399

  J/
  jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
---
  QMPro 1.0 41-4533  A penny saved is a Congressional Oversight
--
Executive Network Information System  (914) 667-4567
International ILink Host
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
From: aduncan@rhea.trl.OZ.AU (Allan Duncan)
Subject: Re:      Re: Even/Odd rounding
Organization: Telecom Research Labs, Melbourne, Australia
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 12:13:08 GMT

From article <REXXLIST%92122913221518@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>, by         Dave Gomberg <GOMBERG@UCSFVM.BITNET>:
> Mike, I am still not sure I understand this arbitrary precision business.
> You only need to detect the case of exactly .50000000000000000000..., since
> that is the only place the even/odd result differs from the round .5 up
> rule.  Or am I missing something?   (Probably)   Dave

I am coming in on this mid-discussion, so I might be missing some
subtlety, anyway...

If you wanted 100.99 style precision, then the rounding is +/-.005 at the
threshold, not .5 as you surmise.
Allan Duncan		ACSnet	 a.duncan@trl.oz
(+613) 253 6708		Internet a.duncan@trl.oz.au
Fax    253 6664		UUCP	 {uunet,hplabs,ukc}!munnari!trl.oz.au!a.duncan
    Telecom Research Labs, PO Box 249, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.lang.rexx
Date:         Mon, 28 Dec 1992 14:33:01 GMT
From:         Mike Cowlishaw <mfc@VNET.IBM.COM>
Subject:      Even/Odd rounding
Comments: To: rexxlist@uga.uga.edu

(Re: comment by J. Brock -- apologies for delay.)

Well, the problem goes a lot further than simply treating overprecise
input numbers: once one decides to use Even/Odd rounding, then one must
use it consistently: it should be used for all calculations and rounding
(or else you'll get different results depending on the source of a
number).  If Even/Odd rounding is the rule for arithmetic, then
calculations are required to use all digits in their inputs (in order
to provide a result of maximum possible length, that can then be
Even/Odd-rounded).  Hence all calculations have to be done to arbitrary
lengths: doable, of course, but at considerable cost for a very tiny
benefit.  If you have a critical application where the rounding method
has a real effect, it's much better to increase NUMERIC DIGITS.

Mike Cowlishaw
From: logant@lafcol.lafayette.edu (Logan Tracy H)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
Subject: Re: Logo for MS-DOS ("rich logos")
Date: 21 Dec 92 18:37:20 GMT
Organization: Lafayette College, Easton PA

> 2/ mswlogo - windows Logo. This is very good indeed - my kids are Windows
> hackers already so they had no problems with it. It is not as rich a language
> as the UCB logo above but is great for kids (thats what LOGO is for isnt it).
 
As far as I could tell, this refers to MSW24, and I would second it.  The newer
version, packaged as MSWLGO3x.zip, is richer.  I'm no expert, but my non-
exhaustive tests suggest it has the richness of UCB logo (it was described 
as having the latter's "core").  I can attest that APPLY is there, as a 
primitive I believe, and so are various functions employing it.  Also, one 
can BURY things, and save or load a workspace.  

Brian's UCB Logo(s) I find wonderful, and the MSW3 struck me as also 
wonderful.  I feel lucky to have both!   - tracy 	
[ logant@lafcol.lafayette.edu ]
From: zitsky+@CS.CMU.EDU (Mark Ryan Miller)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
Subject: Re: Mac Logo  FOUND!!!
Date: 21 Dec 92 22:14:22 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.BzMr3z.3Jt.2
Organization: Carnegie Mellon University

In article <BzMBx4.62I.2@cs.cmu.edu>, zitsky+@CS.CMU.EDU (Mark Ryan Miller) writes:
|> 
|> I received a message from David Jacobson.  He's looking for a version of Logo for the Mac that would include turtle graphics.  I'm not too familiar with Mac software.  Can anyone help him out??  His email address is:
|> 
|> --Mark

Thanks to anyone who may have responded.  David was able to find a copy of Logo.

--Mark
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
From: s2874066@techst02.technion.ac.il (Eyal Peleg)
Subject: LOGOWRITER internal data representation ???
Organization: Technion, Israel Inst. of Technology
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 00:05:27 GMT

hi,
i know that logowriter is a commercial program,
what i want is some information on how does it store
its data in the memory.
does anybody know what is the meaning of .regisger ?
it returns a number - what is this number ?
i am not looking for the source code for logowriter,
(although it would be interesting to have a glance at it 8) )
i need any information that will assist me in writing assembler
prgrams that interface with logowriter.

thanks
eyal peleg
From: mills@athena.lkg.dec.com (George Mills)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
Subject: Re: Logo for MS-DOS ("rich logos")
Date: 21 Dec 92 22:30:06 GMT

> 2/ mswlogo - windows Logo. This is very good indeed - my kids are Windows
> hackers already so they had no problems with it. It is not as rich a language
> as the UCB logo above but is great for kids (thats what LOGO is for isnt it).
> 

Too bad you put this comment SO far down in your "review" :-).

And your right on the mark, it's the windows user interface that I hope
will attract and hold onto them, longer than the TTY style.
MswLogo should (and hopefully will) be able to allow the Logo programmer
to write windows applications (dialog boxes, buttons, etc.).
It probably will be limited because I don't plan to write a resource
compiler, but the student can at least learn a windows programming model.

For begginers there is not that much difference between 3.X and 2.4
MswLogo. There are things already in 3.X that are even better than 2.4 for
the beginner. Like a post script document, more consistent command names,
etc. The reason I tell folks to wait for a newer version is that it's
not Kid-proof. You can make it hang or crash windows by doing odd things
(which kids do). Also docs are a little hard to understand for new
programmers. Other than that it's just a tad more complex and a lot richer. 

Once Msw Logo 3.X is cleaned up the simplicity of 2.4
should not be an issue. If it is, it will get fixed, one way or another.
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
From: jacobson@cello.hpl.hp.com (David Jacobson)
Subject: UCB Logo, thanks
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 19:22:51 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories


The other day comp.lang.scheme got into a digression onto Logo, and I
sent a message to Mark Rayan Miller asking about Logo.  He posted it
to this group, which I was not at that time aware of.  Thanks to the
several people who responded to me.  I found UCB Logo via anonymous
ftp from anarres.cs.berkeley.edu in the pub directory.  There are
several useful files, most importantly for me, ucblogo.sit.hqx, which
is a ready-to-go implemenatation for the Mac, plus a manual, plus full
source code!

Thanks,
  -- David Jacobson
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
From: stuart@guest.ads.com (Stuart Crawford)
Subject: Re: Mac Logo  FOUND!!!
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems, Mountain View, CA 94043, +1 (415)
	960-7300
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 21:07:01 GMT

Could you please post your source?  I'd also like to locate a Mac Logo with
turtle graphics.  Thanks,

Stuart
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
From: woo@ornl.gov (John W. Wooten)
Subject: Re: Mac Logo  FOUND!!!
Followup-To: woo@ornl.gov
Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 15:56:08 GMT

Perhaps you'd either post the location or email me.  I'd like to get it for
our school mac lab.

In article <BzMr3z.3Jt.2@cs.cmu.edu>, zitsky+@CS.CMU.EDU (Mark Ryan Miller)
wrote:
> 
> In article <BzMBx4.62I.2@cs.cmu.edu>, zitsky+@CS.CMU.EDU (Mark Ryan Miller) writes:
> |> 
> |> I received a message from David Jacobson.  He's looking for a version of Logo for the Mac that would include turtle graphics.  I'm not too familiar with Mac software.  Can anyone help him out??  His email address is:
> |> 
> |> --Mark
> 
> Thanks to anyone who may have responded.  David was able to find a copy of Logo.
> 
> --Mark
From: zitsky+@CS.CMU.EDU (Mark Ryan Miller)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
Subject: Mac Logo ???
Date: 21 Dec 92 16:46:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.BzMBx4.62I.2
Organization: Carnegie Mellon University


I received a message from David Jacobson.  He's looking for a version of Logo for the Mac that would include turtle graphics.  I'm not too familiar with Mac software.  Can anyone help him out??  His email address is:
jacobson@cello.hpl.hp.com

--Mark
Newsgroups: comp.lang.logo
From: pmoore@hemel.bull.co.uk (Paul Moore)
Subject: Re: Logo for MS-DOS ("rich logos")
Organization: Bull HN UK
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 10:04:11 GMT

My comment about mswlogo being not as rich as UCB logo was made about 2 days 
before the mswlgo3x announcement. Mswlogo now has the same core (give or take a
bit I guess - see the current GOTO thread) as the excellent UCB logo.

With regards to mswlogo using more of WIndows features. I think the ability
to call a DLL routine would br very useful. This would mean that I could
add all kinds of stuff to the language.

PAul,
Newsgroups: comp.lang.prolog
From: werts@aardvark.cecs.csulb.edu (Michael Werts)
Subject: ICOT 5th Generation Project Catalog
Organization: Cal State Long Beach
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 20:01:20 GMT

How do I find out about the software released into
the public domain by the 5th Generation project?

--

MICHAEL WERTS -- werts@csulb.edu
Computer Engineering Computer Science
California State University Long Beach
Newsgroups: comp.lang.prolog
From: bimbart@cs.kuleuven.ac.be (Bart Demoen)
Subject: rational term unification and conservation of sharing
Organization: Dept. Computerwetenschappen K.U.Leuven
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 16:42:43 GMT

Olivier Ridoux wrote:
> Moral: rational term unification and conservation of sharing are
> rather independent issues.

Sure, but I didn't claim that rational term unification and conservation of
sharing are dependent, rather that making the built-in predicates support
cyclic terms, leads to conservation of sharing - and of course this is not
strictly true either, because one has always the freedom to mess things up.

E.g. if one makes copy_term/2 such that it can make a finite copy of a cyclic
term, one can as well make a copy with the same internal sharing as the
original term - and in fact I think one has messed things up if not.

Bart Demoen