Franz Tech Corner News: AJAX, MIME messages, native Lisp pipe streams

The Franz Tech Corner, February 16, 2006

In this issue:

1. Using AJAX with Allegroserve and Webactions
2. New support for constructing MIME messages
3. The ability to create native Lisp pipe streams
4. Lisp in the news
5. Processing Billions of RDF Knowledge Triples
6. AllegroCache Presentation and Demonstration online
7. Training Schedule

1. Using AJAX with Allegroserve and Webactions

Ajax, an acronym for Asynchronous Javascript And Xml, adds to dynamic
html the ability for the client to send background messages to the
server and have responses trigger changes to the user's
screen. AllegroServe and Webactions support AJAX.

Here for details:
http://franz.com/support/tech_corner/ajax.lhtml

2. New support for constructing MIME messages

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) provides a standard for
attaching files, both text and binary, to email messages. Allegro CL
has long supported managing email messages from within Lisp (using the
POP and IMAP interfaces for reading messages and the SMTP interface
for sending them). With a recent update, it has now been enhanced to
support the construction and sending of MIME messages. The entire
email interface is described in imap.htm (the document is named for
the first supported interface even though it describes much more than
IMAP). The new MIME API is in the section MIME support in that
document. There are several examples showing how to construct and send
MIME messages.

References:
- imap.htm:
http://franz.com/support/documentation/10.1/doc/imap.htm
- MIMI support
http://franz.com/support/documentation/10.1/doc/imap.htm#mime-1

3. The ability to create native Lisp pipe streams

A recent update to Allegro CL 8.0 (and 7.0) added support for creating
native pipe streams. (Support for OS-provided pipe-streams was already
provided by excl.osi:pipe.) A pipe stream is a pair of bi-directional
streams interconnected so that data written to one can be read on the
other. Pipe streams are not particularly useful by themselves. They
are provided as a building block for inter-process communication
within the Lisp. See make-pipe-stream for further details. See also
make-function-input-stream and with-function-input-stream. The latter
two operators use pipe streams. All three pages include examples.

The details:
http://franz.com/support/documentation/10.1/doc/operators/excl/make-pipe-stream.htm

4. Lisp in the news

Article: Exotic Programming Tools Go Mainstream
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1917191,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594

Article: LISP Deserves a Fresh Look
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1917202,00.asp

5. Processing Billions of RDF Knowledge Triples Made Possible with
AllegroCache - Dr. Dobbs publication, March 2006 (in .pdf format)

http://franz.com/resources/educational_resources/white_papers/

6. AllegroCache Presentation and Demonstration online

http://franz.com/products/allegrocache/index.lhtml#allegrocache_presentation

http://franz.com/products/allegrocache/index.lhtml#allegrocache_demonstration

7. Training Schedule

Allegro CL Certification Program - Basic and Intermediate courses
available. Next 3-day sessions:

- Basic, March 8, 15 and 22
- Intermediate, April 12, 19 and 26

Ask us about previously recorded programs that are available if you
are unable to attend the live course.

http://franz.com/services/classes

Make the most of your Allegro CL application by utilizing our
consulting services,

http://franz.com/services/consulting/

Lisp Jobs - http://www.lispjobs.com/

For more information about other Franz products and services, please
contact your product application manager or email sales@franz.com.